Here we are, 45 years later, same party, one election after the other

By ELSIE EYAKUZE

Tanzania’s ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi, turned 45 years old last week. It is older than me. Actually, it is older than most Tanzanians, we are a very young nation in terms of the average age. It is the second-oldest political party on the continent, which surprised me because the green and gold has been around forever. Like six presidents and a few liberation movements kind of, forever. It is an odd feeling, to be honest,

On the one hand, the continuity suits me. I like predictability in a chaotic world and knowing that The Party is trucking along day after day, after day gives me a sense of stability.

It is also very nice to be able to complain without reserve because we all have something to say about the party. Members and fans are used to it, we don’t even have to argue anymore. In fact, CCM is so entrenched that we sometimes use the terms “state” and “party” interchangeably.

On the other hand we sometimes use the terms “state”and “party” interchangeably. This is not a healthy thing. I know our continent, we have despots who overstay shamelessly for decades and then try to install their children into power. Well, not here — or at least not fully. There is some competition in the party, one can come up the ranks from nowhere and I like that most of our presidents grew up living very simple, humble lives. It makes them relate to the general population in a cool way. They are pretty ordinary people.

That said, its still a party monopoly. I didn’t think about it at all until the celebration on the 45th anniversary, only to realise that I have never had the pleasure of an alternative.

And in another five years when they celebrate their 50th birthday, I suspect we will still not have had the pleasure of an alternative. Sometimes, when I get into discussions with folks about politics, it becomes clear that we are stuck. There are opposition parties but really there is only one, the conservative centre-right Chadema, which I only support so that we aren’t smothered by CCM.

What does this mean for our democracy? I am younger than CCM but older than the median age of my country, which probably hovers in the 20s to 30s. We youth are vigorous and opinionated and we regularly get beaten up for it. Well, maybe not young women but certainly young men, carted off to remand for trying to have rallies, which are illegal by the way. We are emphasising to our children that wanting a range of options is somehow a bad thing. That critical thinking is dangerous. That speaking out gets you hurt, or worse.

So, yes, CCM is 45 years old this month and that is the kind of thing it made me think about. In terms of state design, this is problematic. We have a freedom and independence that is admirable, and we are a peaceful country as long as you don’t open the hood and look too closely at the engine. Life goes along. The chief architect of this state we live in, Julius Nyerere was, frankly, brilliant. I don’t agree with the one-party-state idea but, sometimes, when I listen to his speeches, I get moved to reconsider my own opinions. That’s how good he was. On top of which he was actually quite funny, which always makes it hard to hold on to one’s doubts when listening to someone.

But here we are, 45 years later, same old party, one election after the other.

If this article comes across as ambivalent, it is. I have never known what to think about The Party. I cannot dismiss it as a failure, I cannot admire it as a complete success. I want an opposition party to vote for but The Party leans to the left and, on paper at least, that is exactly what I want to hear. I worry that the machine of state is so particular, so married to CCM, that another party would have trouble trying to run the country. And I suspect I am right about that.

And I suspect I am comfortable and used to this status quo, which is embarrassing to admit. Maybe it is a bit like being proud of your country: as long as you are criticising it with a fellow countrywoman it is fine. As soon as a non-citizen tries to tell you an uncomfortable truth, you turn into a somewhat unreasonable defender of the undefendable.

CCM turned 45 this year, and I am a little bit annoyed with myself that I care, all things considered. But I do. I am proud of them for sticking around so long, vaguely hoping they’ll continue to be there like a safety blanket when we finally get a fair chance to vote in another party, and mildly fond of them for pretending to stick to the tenets of a socialist party even though they no longer are. But , please, don’t tell them I said that. They really don’t need another ego boost.

Elsie Eyakuze is a consultant and blogger for The Mikocheni Report: E-mail: [email protected]