Chadema launches finances campaign

By Giza Mdoe

Former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, shakes hands with Dsm businessman Zakaria Hanspoppe at the opposition party's fundraiser held in the city on Sunday.

Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) has launched campaign to seek financial contributions from the public  in order to fund their bid to win the country’s top job come October 25.

“This revolution is for the common man...through public contributions the common man that we represent is effectively involved,” former premier Edward Lowassa and now Chadema lead supporter told The Guardian in an exclusive interview yesterday in Dar es Salaam.

He described the public financing of their election campaigns as ‘a chance to involve the public’ because ‘the change we are advocating belongs to the public.’

“We are representing the people and through their contributions, the people’s power will be felt,” said the former Prime Minister.

“Our goal here is on two fold,” he said “...first we are raising funds to manage and propagate our campaigns and secondly we are creating avenue for greater public involvement,” he added.

Sumaye was keen to note that it is still too early to use the contributions as a measure of the nationwide support the party has so far amassed but acknowledged that as the number of contributors grows (not contributions), it serves as a polling scale of the party’s supporters.

“Many people still don’t know that we are receiving public contributions so it is too early to tell and in any case, some of the contributors may very well be from CCM but over time, yes, the number of contributors does reflect the support Chadema and Ukawa have,” he concluded.

Speaking during the launch of the public contributions to the opposition campaign on Sunday night in Dar es Salaam, the Chadema National Chairman Freeman Mbowe explained that Chadema has resolved to welcome public contributions to meet the financial demands of the election campaigns.

“We are not rich like they have slandered us, we are not corrupt as they have alleged against us, we are common people but together with the other commoners across the country we have the power to realise change,” he evoking a roar of cheer from the guests.

He went on to welcome ‘the commoners’ who he described as average everyday Tanzanians, to donate to the best of their abilities not because they have riches but because; “they understand this change is not possible without their support,” he said.

In his address to their supporters, Chadema presidential candidate Edward Lowassa reassured them of taking the win come October 25.

“We want to bring change,” he said.

“Let Tanzanian’s small and big, woman and man support us with what they have...we believe giving is not financial muscle but a calling of the heart,” he said to the cheer of the guests.

During the launch, Chadema gave several modes to make donations to the party including via mobile e-wallets, direct deposits to bank accounts and the option to give in cash. The party will continue to receive the contributions in the remaining weeks and days towards Election Day.

Alive feed of mobile contributions was set up at the conference hall allowing for the guests and the country via multimedia to witness the contributions as they were made. No official statement was issued as to the amount contributed so far.