2015 Chama Cha Mapinduzi presidential primaries
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) presidential primaries, 2015 took place in July 2015 to determine CCM's nominee for the Presidency of Tanzania for the 2015 election.[1][2][3] The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Party of the Revolution) is the country's dominant ruling party,[4] and the longest reigning ruling party in Africa.[5]
3 June – 12 July 2015
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2,455 votes from the National Congress | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent president and 2010 nominee Jakaya Kikwete is ineligible for re-election due to term limits. He is looking forward to his retirement,[6] and has described the presidency as being both "stressful and thankless".[7] Kikwete, who also serves as the party's National Chairman, said that he was not backing anyone as his preferred and chosen successor.[8]
More than forty candidates (including 12 Cabinet Members) collected the nomination forms. On 12 July, Minister of Works John Magufuli was selected as the party's presidential nominee,[9] and was most likely to win.[10][11][12][13] He won the presidential election by 58.46%.
Background

Dodoma Six
In February 2014, the CCM's Central Committee summoned and interrogated six prospective candidates at the party's headquarters in Dodoma; and banned them from engaging in premature campaigns for a period of twelve months. They were former Prime Ministers Frederick Sumaye and Edward Lowassa, Foreign Minister Bernard Membe, Minister Stephen Wasira, Deputy Minister January Makamba and former Minister William Ngeleja.[15] The ban was further extended in March 2015,[16] before being lifted on 22 May 2015.[17]
Candidates
The following candidates have been listed according to the dates that they expressed interest or formally announced their candidacy.
- Key
quadragenarian (40-49) quinquagenarian (50-59) sexagenarian (60-69) septuagenarian (70-79)
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Hassy Kitine |
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Monica Mbega |
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Other candidates
| Candidate | Age | Background | Declared on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maliki Malupu | 34 |
Postgraduate student at Mzumbe University | 1 June 2015.[60] |
| Amos Siyantemi | 4 June 2015[61] | ||
| Godwin Mwapongo | 43 | High Court Advocate | 6 June 2015[62] |
| Peter Nyalali | Former soldier | 7 June 2015[20] | |
| Leonce Mulenda | 7 June 2015[20] | ||
| Eldoforce Bilohe | 43 | Farmer[63] | 9 June 2015[64] |
| Boniface Ndego | 10 June 2015[65] | ||
| Athuman Mwariko | c. 66 | Painter, sculptor and cultural scientist. Designed the Tanzanian Coat of arms | 12 June 2015[66] |
| Muzzammil Kalokola | Alma mater: University of Nairobi Chairperson of Mwalimu Nyerere Ideology Conservation Society | 13 June 2015[67] | |
| Joseph Chagama | 15 June 2015[68] | ||
| Patrick Chokala | Former diplomat and Press Secretary to presidents Mwinyi and Mkapa | 18 June 2015[69] | |
| Ritha Ngowi | 50 | Community Development Officer | 22 June 2015[70] |
| Helena Elinawinga | 41 | Alma mater: School of International Service | 25 June 2015[71] |
| Antony Chalamila | 66 | 27 June 2015[72] | |
| Amos Robert[73] |
Potential candidates
- Anna Tibaijuka, former Lands Minister.[74] Her prospects were diminished when she was sacked by the President after receiving $1 million from a businessman. Tibaijuka denied any wrongdoing and said that she accepted the money as a donation for a school.[75]
- Anne Makinda, Speaker[76]
- Hussein Mwinyi, Defence Minister[77]
Declined to run
- Salim Ahmed Salim, former Prime Minister[78]
- Joseph Warioba, former Prime Minister[79]
Nomination process
The nomination forms cost a non-refundable TSh 1 million (US$500). A total of 42 party members collected the forms from 3 June but only 38 managed to return them by the 2 July deadline. The four disqualified aspirants were Anthony Chalamila, Helena Elinewinga, Muzammil Kalokola and Peter Nyalile.[80] Each candidate was required to solicit sponsorship from at least 450 party members from a minimum of 15 regions (including three regions from Zanzibar). Lowassa's campaign team claims to have gained sponsorship from more than 800,000 party members from all the regions.[81]
The meetings will take place in Dodoma at the party's headquarters and at the newly inaugurated Dodoma Convention Centre. More than 10,000 delegates and their retinues were expected to arrive in the capital.[82][83][84][85]
Central Committee
On 11 July 2015 at 01:20 EAT (UTC +3), the party tweeted the names of the five candidates selected by its Central Committee from the list of 38 aspirants:[86]
- Bernard Membe (61)
Foreign Minister - John Magufuli (55)
Works Minister - Asha-Rose Migiro (59)
Justice Minister - January Makamba (41)
Deputy Minister - Amina Salum Ali (58)
AU Ambassador to the U.S.
National Executive Committee
On 11 July, the National Executive Committee selected the three finalists:[87]
- John Magufuli (55)
Works Minister - Asha-Rose Migiro (59)
Justice Minister - Amina Salum Ali (58)
AU Ambassador to the U.S.
National Congress
The party's National Congress selected Works Minister John Magufuli as the party's 2015 presidential nominee.[9]
Opinion polls
| Poll source | Date | Sample size | Undecided | Lowassa | Pinda | Membe | Sitta | Magufuli | Nchemba | Makamba | Mwandosya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twaweza[88] | September 2014 | 1,445 | 33% | 13.0% | 12.0% | 5.0% | 4.0% | 3.0% | – | – | – |
| Positive Thinkers[89] | March 2015 | 3,298 | 2.4% | 22.8% | 3.2% | 5.9% | 2.2% | 6.8% | 10.6% | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| Samunge S.S. Research Center[90] | 2013–2015 | 7,000 | – | 20.7% | 2.4% | 7.0% | – | 7.6% | – | 4.8% | – |
| REDET[91] | 23–26 June 2015 | 1,250 | – | 27.0% | 7.2% | 8.2% | 0.6% | 6.6% | 1.0% | 0.8% | 3.1% |
At the party's 8th National Congress in 2012, the following four aspirants were the favourites among the NEC delegates and were elected by them: Wasira (89%), Makamba (87%), Nchemba (84%) and Membe (61%).[92]
Post-nomination events
Defections
- Both former prime ministers Edward Lowassa and Frederick Sumaye defected to the opposition Chadema party after front-runner candidate Lowassa was not selected. Lowassa was then chosen as Chadema's presidential candidate and got 39.97% of the vote; the highest in opposition history. However, both later on re-joined CCM in 2019.
Expulsions
- In 2020, Bernard Membe was expelled from the party. He re-joined CCM in 2022.
Deaths
| Caandidate | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Samuel Sitta | 7 November 2016 | Died in Germany where he was undergoing treatment. |
| Augustino Ramadhani | 28 April 2020 | Died at Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam after a long illness. |
| Augustine Mahiga | 1 May 2020 | Died in Dodoma. |
| John Magufuli | 17 March 2021 | Died at Mzena Hospital in Dar es Salaam from a heart condition. |
| Mwele Ntuli Malecela | 10 February 2022 | Died in Geneva, Switzerland. |
| Bernard Membe | 12 May 2023 | Died at Kairuki Hospital in Dar es Salaam. |
| Edward Lowassa | 10 February 2024 | Died at Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute in Dar es Salaam. |


