Friday
July 18, 2014
July 18, 2014
National
Makamba: JK has no problem with my bid
‘‘ ...there are minor issues I still need to iron out. I need to talk to
the elders, the clergy and retired leaders on how best to approach this
thing...”
January Makamba
By Katare Mbashiru, The Citizen Reporter
Posted Friday, July 11 2014 at 09:56
Posted Friday, July 11 2014 at 09:56
In Summary
- In an interview with The Citizen yesterday, Mr Makamba expressed his dismay over what he termed as misleading information by a section of the media that President Jakaya Kikwete advised him not to ‘force things’.
Dar es Salaam. Deputy minister
for Communications, Science and Technology January Makamba has
reaffirmed his presidential ambition insisting he will firmly be in the
race for the top job come 2015 General Election.
In an interview with The Citizen
yesterday, Mr Makamba expressed his dismay over what he termed as
misleading information by a section of the media that President Jakaya
Kikwete advised him not to ‘force things’. Mr Makamba who doubles as
Bumbuli MP was reacting to the advice the President gave on Wednesday
when addressing residents at Soni in his second day of his tour of Tanga
Region.
Speaking shortly after Mr Makamba invited him to
address the people, the Head of State used the opportunity to counsel
the young man, who is a son of former CCM’s secretary general Yusuf
Makamba. He advised him to “adhere to dictates of time.”
Before joining active politics, the Bumbuli
lawmaker rose from a desk officer in the ministry of Foreign Affairs to
working as the President’s speech writer.
Yesterday, Mr Makamba said the media quoted Mr
Kikwete out of context saying there was exaggeration as if the Head of
State was not happy with his candidature come 2015.
Mr Makamba quoted Mr Kikwete as saying: “I have
heard that your MP is planning to vie for the highest political office…I
wish him well because such decisions ought to be made by a person
himself and whenever God decides always the dream becomes a reality,’’
Mr Makamba said adding:
“When the time comes he will get the presidency
but if it is not yet time, he won’t. But even if he will not make it to
State House, he should not harbour any ill-feelings,’’ he quoted what he
claims was what the President said.
In principle, he said, the President’s words gave
an okay to his dream. Mr Makamba thanked the Head of State for
expressing his confidence over his candidature in public.
“I know Mr Kikwete has been among key
stakeholders in my active politics, and his declaration in public about
my ambition gives me confidence and I will not go back on my plans,’’
said the Bumbuli MP.
At a public rally in Bumbuli on Wednesday, Mr
Kikwete praised Mr Makamba for excellent work saying he had helped his
administration a lot. He advised him to borrow a leaf from him and not
to harbour ill-feelings if he fails in his bid.
This was in reference to his first attempt at the
presidency in 1995 when Mr Benjamin Mkapa, who he later succeeded in
2005, won CCM’s candidature. He however, asked him to listen to the
words of wisdom from elders whom he said will advise him accordingly.
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