BARD AI
JF-Expert Member
- Jul 24, 2018
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๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง ๐ฃ๐๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ก๐๐?
โพIt's almost laughable to fathom the thought that the abrasive and pseudo-populist Arusha Regional Commissioner could even be considered as a future President of Tanzania
โพA chequered past, questionable education background, authoritarian streak and unhinged personality should automatically rule him out
โพBut when self-preservation kicks in, CCM could be forced to do the unthinkable
May 28, 2024
๐ฝ๐ฎ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ง
Dar es Salaam
Picture this scenario. The year is 2030.
Tanzania's ruling CCM party is in full general election mode as it prepares for battle against a resurgent opposition.
Reform-minded President Samia Suluhu Hassan is winding up her second and final term in office.
CCM does not have the advantage of the power of the incumbent in these elections and must pick a new presidential candidate.
The opposition has bounced back from the brink of extinction after the hugely disputed 2020 elections.
They won dozens of parliamentary seats in a relatively free and fair general election in 2025 after President Samia opened up the country.
They also scooped some local government seats across the country in 2024 local polls, gaining a foothold in grassroots mobilisation.
A loose coalition of opposition parties has been formed and has selected a joint presidential candidate, making the 2030 general election particularly competitie.
More than ever before, electability tops the list of qualities that CCM's presidential candidate must possess in order to beat a rejuvenated opposition and extend the ruling party's grip on power.
Some familiar faces who unsuccessfully sought nomination as CCM's presidential candidate in 2015 are joined in the fray of ruling party primaries by new faces.
One of the politicians making an audacious bid to become CCM's presidential candidate is Paul Makonda.
Internal polls suggest that the abrasive, pseudo-populist Makonda is the most electable politician in CCM compared to the vastly more qualified and moderate politicians in the party.
Makonda is CCM's biggest crowd puller, but is also by far their least qualified presidential aspirant.
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐'๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐?
The ruling party finds itself in a real bind.
Worried by growing support for the opposition and a relatively level playing field created by President Samia's reforms, CCM reluctantly picks Makonda as it's presidential candidate.
Self-preservation is one of the strongest instincts that ensures the survival of the party organism.
Let's just win this election. We will worry about putting Makonda on a leash and controlling him later. The famous last words of CCM's bigwigs.
But, how did we get here?
Back to present-day Tanzania.
It all started in October 2023 with the shock appointment of Makonda as CCM's propaganda chief.
He lasted just 5 months in the job, after a disastrous tenure where he refused to work as a team, ignored the ruling party hierarchy and went on self-promotion tours across the country.
As regional commissioner of a high-profile city, he picked up where he left off and continued his combative leadership style, disregarding the rule of law, abusing and bullying civil servants in front of cheering crowds.
By using political gimmicks, theatrics and a gullible media, Makonda has continued to pull crowds and is omnipresent in social media discussions.
He has successfully deceived a big chunk of Tanzania's impressionable population by positioning himself as the mythical leader and fountain of justice who dishes out instant justice for the poor and marginalised.
The cult of personality portrays him as a decisive leader, champion of the downtrodden and lone crusader of the fight against corrupt and lazy civil servants.
It baffles many political pundits why Makonda is allowed to continue to undermine and erode public trust and confidence in the national leadership, institutions of government and the ruling party itself.
His handlers probably see him as a useful tool that can be unleashed when needed to launch vicious attacks on their perceived political enemies in both opposition parties and within CCM itself.
But the monster that they are creating could one day consume everyone and everything in its path, including his handlers themselves.
Six years is a lifetime in politics. A lot could happen between now and 2030.
Therefore, voices that are slowly emerging in favour of an unlikely 2030 Makonda bid cannot be entirely dismissed, even as ludicrous as they sound.
The horrific prospect of a Makonda presidency would not only reverse and undo President Samia's legacy of reform and reconciliation, but also detrimentally alter the entire future of the country.
Our politics has become so unrelentingly strange.
โพIt's almost laughable to fathom the thought that the abrasive and pseudo-populist Arusha Regional Commissioner could even be considered as a future President of Tanzania
โพA chequered past, questionable education background, authoritarian streak and unhinged personality should automatically rule him out
โพBut when self-preservation kicks in, CCM could be forced to do the unthinkable
May 28, 2024
๐ฝ๐ฎ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ง
Dar es Salaam
Picture this scenario. The year is 2030.
Tanzania's ruling CCM party is in full general election mode as it prepares for battle against a resurgent opposition.
Reform-minded President Samia Suluhu Hassan is winding up her second and final term in office.
CCM does not have the advantage of the power of the incumbent in these elections and must pick a new presidential candidate.
The opposition has bounced back from the brink of extinction after the hugely disputed 2020 elections.
They won dozens of parliamentary seats in a relatively free and fair general election in 2025 after President Samia opened up the country.
They also scooped some local government seats across the country in 2024 local polls, gaining a foothold in grassroots mobilisation.
A loose coalition of opposition parties has been formed and has selected a joint presidential candidate, making the 2030 general election particularly competitie.
More than ever before, electability tops the list of qualities that CCM's presidential candidate must possess in order to beat a rejuvenated opposition and extend the ruling party's grip on power.
Some familiar faces who unsuccessfully sought nomination as CCM's presidential candidate in 2015 are joined in the fray of ruling party primaries by new faces.
One of the politicians making an audacious bid to become CCM's presidential candidate is Paul Makonda.
Internal polls suggest that the abrasive, pseudo-populist Makonda is the most electable politician in CCM compared to the vastly more qualified and moderate politicians in the party.
Makonda is CCM's biggest crowd puller, but is also by far their least qualified presidential aspirant.
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐'๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐?
The ruling party finds itself in a real bind.
Worried by growing support for the opposition and a relatively level playing field created by President Samia's reforms, CCM reluctantly picks Makonda as it's presidential candidate.
Self-preservation is one of the strongest instincts that ensures the survival of the party organism.
Let's just win this election. We will worry about putting Makonda on a leash and controlling him later. The famous last words of CCM's bigwigs.
But, how did we get here?
Back to present-day Tanzania.
It all started in October 2023 with the shock appointment of Makonda as CCM's propaganda chief.
He lasted just 5 months in the job, after a disastrous tenure where he refused to work as a team, ignored the ruling party hierarchy and went on self-promotion tours across the country.
As regional commissioner of a high-profile city, he picked up where he left off and continued his combative leadership style, disregarding the rule of law, abusing and bullying civil servants in front of cheering crowds.
By using political gimmicks, theatrics and a gullible media, Makonda has continued to pull crowds and is omnipresent in social media discussions.
He has successfully deceived a big chunk of Tanzania's impressionable population by positioning himself as the mythical leader and fountain of justice who dishes out instant justice for the poor and marginalised.
The cult of personality portrays him as a decisive leader, champion of the downtrodden and lone crusader of the fight against corrupt and lazy civil servants.
It baffles many political pundits why Makonda is allowed to continue to undermine and erode public trust and confidence in the national leadership, institutions of government and the ruling party itself.
His handlers probably see him as a useful tool that can be unleashed when needed to launch vicious attacks on their perceived political enemies in both opposition parties and within CCM itself.
But the monster that they are creating could one day consume everyone and everything in its path, including his handlers themselves.
Six years is a lifetime in politics. A lot could happen between now and 2030.
Therefore, voices that are slowly emerging in favour of an unlikely 2030 Makonda bid cannot be entirely dismissed, even as ludicrous as they sound.
The horrific prospect of a Makonda presidency would not only reverse and undo President Samia's legacy of reform and reconciliation, but also detrimentally alter the entire future of the country.
Our politics has become so unrelentingly strange.
