THE SUCCESSION?

Dr Wilbrod Slaa (Secretary General of Chadema)

A Synovate opinion poll taken in May and reported in the Citizen on August 4 provided some revealing insights into what Tanzanians were then thinking about the leadership of their country. According to the poll (based on only 1,994 respondents), if an election were held in 2011, with President Kikwete not allowed to stand (because he would have completed his second term), Dr Wilbrod Slaa of the opposition Chadema party would be the clear winner with 42% of the vote. Professor Ibrahim Lipumba, Chairman of the opposition CUF party would get 14%. If the ruling CCM party should select Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda as its candidate, the figure for him would be 12%. This must have been bad news for the CCM.

Other questions revealed however that 51% of the respondents said that they supported CCM, 35% backed Chadema and 10% CUF.

In the 2010 general elections, CCM’s Jakaya Kikwete won the presidency with 61% of the vote, followed by Dr Slaa with 26% and Prof Lipumba with 8%.

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