Dr Slaa served as Karatu MP for 15 years since 1995 and Chadema secretary general before he announced recently he was quitting politics to protest the move by his party to embrace Mr Lowassa, the man he had for many years branded the kingpin of corruption.
He has also terrmed Mr Lowassa a liability to the opposition. Dr Slaa has made a name as a firm anti-corruption crusader and won the hearts of many people in Karatu where he comes from.
But some Karatu residents told ‘The Citizen’ in separate interviews on Saturday that Dr Slaa’s allegations would not change their resolve to see the country’s leadership overhauled.
A Rhotia Ward resident, Isack Philip said the determination of all Karatu residents was to see CCM is ejected and nothing will change their stance. “We would better have a couple of corrupt leaders in the Opposition rather than the over 100 ones CCM is still embracing,” he said.
Another resident, Mr Samaytu Ephraim, said Dr Slaa, who was eyeing the presidency on the Chadema ticket, was being troubled by envy.
A bodaboda roperator, Mr Emmanuel Bayo said Karatu residents will not buy Dr Slaa’s “misplaced allegations” against their leaders. “We would rather vote for a stone rather than CCM which has since independence been failing us,” he said, stressing that whoever is vying for Karatu seat on the coalition’s ticket will win.
Former CCM chairman Herman Daffo, however, defended Dr Slaa, saying he deserved praise for using constitutional right to express his views and enlightening fellow Tanzanians.
Source:Citizen