CCM said yesterday the proposed extension of Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume's term was not its immediate agenda.
CCM Publicity Secretary John Chiligati told The Citizen that there were no plans to discuss the suggestion in the ruling party's meetings.
He, however, did not rule out the possibility of the matter being discussed should it be officially tabled before the party.
CCM's reaction came amid a cacophony of calls for Dr Karume's presidency to be extended to allow him to lead a transitional government, and set the stage for the creation of a government of national unity.
Those who have called for an extension of President Karume's term include the Civic United Front (CUF) Foreign Affairs Director, Mr Ismail Jussa, who told The Citizen on Sunday that Dr Karume deserved more time to oversee the implementation of his reconciliation agreement with CUF Secretary-General Seif Shariff Hamad.
Mr Jussa clarified yesterday that he supported calls for the extension of the presidential tenure, not a third term for President Karume.
But commenting yesterday, Mr Chiligati said: "All those are personal views, which should not be taken to represent the party's official position. I wish to make it clear that CCM has not discussed the issue."
Asked whether the party had any plan to discuss the matter in the near future, Mr Chiligati said: �You cannot cross a river before reaching a bridge. I�m not sure whether the issue will crop up in our meetings. It probably won�t even be raised.�
He said CCM had well established and time-tested mechanisms to handle such issues when they emerged, and gave the example of calls in 2000 for the tenure of the then Zanzibar President, Dr Salmin Amour, to be extended.
"That issue was brought before us. It was discussed, and an amicable decision was reached," he said.
Mr Jussa told The Citizen that extending Dr Karume's presidency � not giving him a third term � would allow him to drive forward the reconciliation process to its conclusion.
He said reconciliation in Zanzibar was more important than elections. "We have had many elections in the past, but all have been a source of divisions rather than unity among the people," he said.
Calls for President Karume's term to be extended were first made during the conference on the state of politics in Zanzibar held two weeks ago.
Speaking at the meeting, the chairman of the Alliance for Tanzania Farmers Party (ATFP), Mr Soud Said, strongly advocated for an extension, saying Dr Karume should be put in charge of a transitional government ahead of the creation of a government of national unity.
This view was echoed by at least seven delegates at the meeting, which also called for the formation of an inclusive government in Zanzibar.
But a constitutional expert, Dr Sengondo Mvungi, dismissed the calls as "ill-advised".
"It's the people of Zanzibar who should decide on such an issue, not Karume and Seif," said Dr Mvungi, who is also the director of constitutional affairs of the opposition NCCR-Mageuzi.
"Our position is that CUF and CCM should not meet behind closed doors to discuss and decide on matters of national interest�this has not changed."
Dr Mvungi said a lasting solution to political divisions in Zanzibar could only be attained through a national consensus, "and not a Mwafaka of two persons".
Neither President Karume nor Mr Hamad has stated what was agreed when the two leaders met at State House in Zanzibar last November.
In a recent interview with The Citizen, Mr Hamad said he was not ready to reveal what was agreed, but added that people would see the results soon.
Dr Mvungi wondered how CUF, which had accused CCM of stealing the last three elections and stalling the implementation of the Zanzibar peace accord, could suddenly demand the extension of Dr Karume's tenure.
"Karume should not deceive us. Things are not going on well for him. He has realised that there is a faction within his party which does not support him, so he is attempting to draw support through Mr Hamad.
"There are people who wish to further personal interests�that's the only logical explanation of calls for Karumes presidency to be extended," Dr Mvungi said.
Elsewhere, the majority of people interviewed by this newspaper yesterday were against an extension of President Karume's tenure, saying it was undemocratic.
Mr John Kimaro said such a decision would be in violation of the constitution, and would set a bad precedent.
"Do we have such an acute shortage of people who are capable of finishing what Mr Karume has started?� he asked, adding: "If Karume's tenure is extended, what will be the response if another president seeks an extension of his tenure in the future?"
Mr Abdul Juma said an extension would create the impression that leadership in this country was for a select few, while the rest were there to be ruled and dictated to. He added that an extension could lead to violence.
However, Mr Patrick Nombo supported the move, saying it would go a long way in restoring harmony among Zanzibaris.
He said everything possible must be done to foster unity and understanding in the Isles "even if this means giving President Karume another term".
Mr Jeremiah Chuma, a teacher, said any attempt to extend President Karume's term would be proof that there was no true democracy in Tanzania.
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