HAMAD MASAUNI YUSSUF
Academics and politicians have questioned vetting procedures in Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), saying the recent resignation of its two top youth wing leaders showed it has lost its ethics and direction.
CCM national chairman President Jakaya Kikwete chairs the party’s Central Committee meeting at State House in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
They said the resignation early this week of the CCM youth wing (UVCCM) chairman, Mr Hamad Masauni Yusuf, who has been proved by authorities to lie about his age, reflected laxity in the ruling party’s vetting and security system.
But the ruling party has defended itself, saying its procedures were foolproof and that was why Mr Masauni was detected.
Dr Azaveli Lwaitama, a senior lecturer with the University of Dar es Salaam, said what CCM was doing now was like scoring an own goal in a soccer match.
“Long ago this party ceased to be a party in power. This is a party where morality is not important,” he said, accusing the party of lacking integrity and capacity to do the right things.
“How come the lie about Mr Masauni’s age came to be known after quarrels within the party? Had there been no quarrels, the guy would have remained in power up to the end of his tenure,” observed Dr Lwaitama.
He wondered that the party which had been in power since 1977 had failed to observe the personal integrity of its members when vetting them. “CCM has its chairman who is the President of the country, and the vetting system is done through the party’s Central Committee. We are not questioning about the boy (Mr Masauni), but the security system that allowed him to vie for the post while he was over age,” he explained.
Dr Lwaitama claimed that CCM has lost its direction and touch with the people. Instead, he added, people were using the party as a bridge towards getting a parliamentary seat or acquiring handsome government tenders.
The chairman of the opposition party, Chama Cha Maendeleo na Demokrasia (Chadema), Mr Freeman Mbowe, said the history of CCM showed that Mr Masauni was not the first victim of forgery.
“Forgery is part and parcel of CCM leaders,” charged the Chadema leader. He claimed that a good number of Members of Parliament and ministers in the CCM government have been implicated in various forgery scandals, including submission of fake academic credentials.
Mr Mbowe suggested that CCM should also take stern measures against its leaders in both the party and the government who are not truthful.
A nominated legislator on the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) ticket, Mr Ismail Jussa Ladhu, said the resignation of the chairman of the party’s youth wing reflected that “the party is really disintegrating.
“It is also a reflection that CCM has lost its long time reputation as an exemplary party. It has now lost its direction and vision.”
Speaking on being contacted from the clove Island of Zanzibar, Mr Jussa queried:
“How come the party with its watertight security system failed to establish the age of Mr Masauni before he was elected into the high post?”
The CUF legislator reminded people that Mr Masauni’s vetting was done through the party’s supreme organs, including its Central Committee and National Executive Committee.
Mr Hamad Rashid, the leader of the official opposition in Parliament, said the incident has proved that CCM was not serious when it came to picking its leaders, a problem that he said was also reflected in the government.
He said what Mr Masauni did was a criminal offence, and demanded that legal action should be taken against him in addition to his resignation.
Reacting to these observations, the CCM publicity secretary, Capt (rtd) John Chiligati, said everyone was free to make his/her interpretation on the issue, but that was not correct.
“Every human being has weaknesses and we have taken necessary measures, including sacking him (Mr Masauni) from the post and the CCM national executive committee,” said Capt. Chiligati.
Asked whether the party was intending to take legal action against Mr Masauni since forgery was a criminal offence, Capt. Chiligati quipped: “The measures we have taken against him are punitive enough.”
Allegations about forgery of certificates among civil servants and CCM cadres have been common in recent times.
A number of cabinet ministers have been named in the list of people accused of forging their academic certificates, especially doctorate degrees.
A few years ago a Temeke MP on the CCM ticket, Mr Ali Ramadhani Kihiyo, was disqualified by a law court after it was established that he had forged his academic certificates.
The verdict was reached following a case filed by the then prominent lawyer, Dr Masumbuko Lamwai, who was representing the opposition NCCR-Mageuzi.
In the current parliament, police also established that Buchosa MP Samwel Chitalilo has lied about his academic qualifications.
However, the issue was not referred to court and Mr Chitalilo continues to serve as an MP
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