Ministers shine in CCM primaries

NEARLY all cabinet ministers who participated in the fiercely contested primaries in Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) have sailed through.

However, the final decision on members of the party who would contest for parliamentary seats will be made by the party's top organs next week.

The Second Vice-President of Zanzibar, Amb. Seif Ali Iddi and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Job Ndugai, have won primaries in Kitope and Kongwa parliamentary seats respectively.

Results also indicated that some deputy ministers, party bigwigs and some officials who have served in public offices have failed to make it.

In a dramatic move, Deputy Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr Makongoro Mahanga, who was badly defeated, defected to the opposition, Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema).

Those who lost in the primaries include deputy ministers for Finance Adam Malima (Finance), Pereira Amme Silima (Home Affairs) and Mahadhi Juma Maalim (Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation).

Others are CCM Secretary for Organisation who has also served in various ministerial positions in the union government, Mr Seif Mohamed Khatib and the outgoing Ilala municipal Mayor Jerry Silaa who is also a member of the CCM Central Committee (CC).

Cabinet Ministers who bounced back are Stephen Wasira, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives (Bunda) constituency, William Lukuvi, Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development (Isimani), George Simbachawene, Minister for Energy and Minerals (Kibakwe) and Prof Jummane Maghembe (Mwanga).

Others are Ms Hawa Ghasia, State Minister in the Prime Minister's Office - Regional Administration and Local Government (Mtwara Rural), Lazaro Nyalandu, Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources and Saada Mkuya Salum, Minister for Finance (Welezo), Defence and National Service Minister Dr Hussein Mwinyi (Kwahani) and Prof Makame Mnyaa Mbarawa, Minister for Communication, Science and Technology.

Dr Fenella Mukangara, the Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports has been picked to contest for the newly established Kibamba constituency.

Deputy Ministers who sailed through are January Makamba (Bumbuli) Deputy for Communication, Science and Technology, Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr Mwigulu Nchemba (Iramba), Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Mahamoud Mgimwa (Mufindi North) and Deputy Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports Juma Nkamia (Chemba).

The former Minister for Education and Vocational Training who is out-going Special Seat MP, Ms Margareth Sitta, also joined the race to take over from her husband, Mr Sitta and successfully sailed through.

Further results indicated that Ambassador Augustine Mahiga, a cadre who was eyeing presidency and turned to Iringa Urban Constituency badly lost to Wanging'ombe DC Frederick Mwakalebela.

Some of the losers in the presidential race who emerged winners in the primaries are William Ngeleja who defeated former Home Affairs Minister Lawrence Masha in Sengerema, Prof Sospeter Muhongo (Musoma Rural) and Hamis Kigwangalla (Nzega).