'There was no any strategy planned for me to refuse to handover my seat' Says Former President Jakaya Kikwete

Former Tanzania president Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete is currently in Dodoma for their CCM party meeting to vote for a new chairman. Hon. Kikwete made a speech before they voted for new chairman and here under are some of the things he said. 

"It wasn't easy for Dr John Pombe Magufuli (JPM) to accept to be the new chairman of CCM, we had to take extra efforts to convince him  untill he accepted. There was no any strategy planned for me to refuse to handover my seat, the press lied. If it's was true that I never wanted to handover my seat,after the president told me he wasn't in any hurry to accept the seat, I wouldn't have asked Mr Mangula to speak to JPM."

"I have served this party for 41 consecutive  years now, so if there is anything I know better in my life then is CCM. There are things we must correct, first the participation of members in the meetings is unsatisfactory, secondly the payment of fee must be improved."

"Last year there were a lot of people who weren't stable in their decisions, that journey of hope gave hope to some who decided to leave the party completely. For the past 10 years we have been employing educated youths I ask for this to continue."

"We have 279 plots in Dar Es Salaam, 45 of them have title deeds they can be a good sources of economy. We have given the President a huge burden he surely needs to search for resources. Those words on newspapers that CCM will end 2020 they shouldn't scare you, Magufuli continue to perform your work."

"If you tell our President anything important, he writes it on his notebook and he surely works on it without even reminding him. I am leaving my seat full of happiness because I know the party is in safe hands, and still the ruling party."