Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s (CCM) National Executive Council (NEC) Member, Mr Ndele Mwaselela, has explained his decision not to run for a parliamentary seat in the 2025 general election, despite ongoing speculation over his political intentions.
Speaking to journalists at the CCM Regional Office in Mbeya on Wednesday, Mr Mwaselela said he deliberately opted out of the nomination process, which ran from June 28 to July 2, noting that his focus remains on supporting development efforts within the region.
“There have been numerous claims that I intended to run for Parliament or that I am supporting particular candidates. I want to be clear: I had no intention of collecting nomination forms,” said Mr Mwaselela.
He added that his current responsibilities as a NEC member provide him with a broader platform to contribute to national and regional development, a path he believes best serves the interests of the people of Mbeya.
“I will continue serving as MNEC and remain committed to initiatives that uplift the lives of citizens. I already have ongoing programmes to support different community groups,” he said.
Mr Mwaselela also cautioned against a growing trend where some aspirants claim to have been sent or endorsed by top party leaders, saying such narratives are not only misleading but also contradict directives from CCM’s national leadership.
“Even our party chairperson, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has repeatedly discouraged this behaviour. Every aspirant is acting on personal conviction, and no one has been sent by anyone,” he said.
He reminded the public that those who have picked nomination forms are still aspirants—not official candidates—until the party’s internal vetting process concludes and three names are returned for each constituency.
“Let’s make the distinction clear. Those who collected forms are not yet candidates. We will only use that term after the party officially announces the top three and they are introduced to the public,” he stressed.
Mr Mwaselela reiterated that he is not interested in shifting roles for personal political gain.
“My commitment is to continue serving as a MNEC. I have been working with the people of this region even before holding this position, and I do not intend to jump between roles,” he said.
Meanwhile, CCM’s Chunya District Secretary, Mr Charles Jockel, issued a strong warning to aspirants, urging them to refrain from personal attacks and smear campaigns ahead of the party’s primary selections.
“We have observed a few incidents of negative campaigning among some aspirants. We want to make it clear that CCM will not tolerate such conduct, especially at this sensitive stage of internal competition,” said Mr Jockel.
The ruling party’s nomination process is underway as it prepares for the 2025 general election, with a strong emphasis on discipline, unity, and adherence to party procedures.