Joseph Butiku, Chairperson of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation and former aide to Tanzania’s founding president, has weighed in on the ongoing discussion regarding CCM’s nomination process for its presidential candidate. While acknowledging that procedural irregularities occurred, Butiku described the mistake as one made in good faith.
Butiku put the blame on the advice offered by the former Chair of the ruling CCM, Jakaya Kikwete. Butiku shared his perspective during an interview on ITV’s Dakika 45 evening program aired on July 23, 2025.
“This time, there were a few irregularities that occurred; they say procedures were not followed. To be honest, to some extent, that’s true. If it weren’t true, you wouldn’t be hearing about problems that have never happened before. This is not the first election—we started holding elections in 1965, and over the years, we’ve gone through many elections, and CCM has always participated, and things have gone smoothly,” Butiku said.
He recalled that the January Congress was convened, but not with the intention of selecting the party’s presidential candidate. However, he explained, it might have been assumed that all decisions could be finalized that day. He explained that, according to party norms, the proper sequence involves the Central Committee first vetting candidates, after which the names are forwarded to the National Executive Council before being submitted to the Congress for a final vote.
“So this time, what happened was a bit like the private members’ motion procedure in Parliament—one delegate stood up and proposed that we settle the matter right then and there, saying, ‘Aren’t we the ones in charge? Aren’t we the ones responsible? Let’s finish it here.’ And others supported the idea,” he explained.
Butiku went on and underscored how the advice of President Kikwete was crucial in setting the direction of the meeting. “As you may have seen, and let me defend the Chairperson here, our Chairperson, Mama Samia, seemed to have some awareness of the proper procedure, and she hesitated a bit. Then an elder stood up and said, ‘Let me help you, Chairperson,’ and she allowed him. That elder was Mzee Kikwete. He explained, saying, ‘Aren’t we the ones in charge? Yes, we are.’ And they all said, ‘Yes, we are.’ They decided with good intentions.”
“But this Private Members’ Motion-style process does not exist in our party’s Congress procedures. It’s not part of our party structure. Our Chairperson hesitated a bit, but after being advised, she agreed, and I don’t blame her at all. Senior party members were sitting there,” he added.
Butiku emphasized that despite the procedural flaws, the decision remains legitimate, as no one opposed it during the Congress. He framed the incident as a minor lapse in the broader context of a young democracy.
“I think it’s a minor issue in our small countries, with our young political parties, in the system we have just begun. We are learning to live in a multiparty environment, and in a party system with rules, the issue is minor. We must give them the benefit of the doubt for small mistakes. We all make mistakes, even within our own families,” he emphasized.
“Let’s not blame each other; instead, let’s accept that we are growing. What has happened, what is happening, and perhaps what will happen should help us learn the true meaning of democracy,” he said.
The debate over CCM’s nomination emerged after Tanzania’s Ambassador to Cuba, Humphrey Polepole, resigned and criticized the nomination, arguing it was illegitimate. When asked about Polepole’s stance, Butiku noted that youth should be courageous in their convictions, but they must follow proper procedures and avoid causing chaos.
