THE CPC’S GOVERNANCE EXPERIENCE IS VALUABLE AND WORTH LEARNING BY TANZANIA
——AN INTERVIEW OF MR. RODRICK MPOGOLO,DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE CCM

SU TONG & WEI YINPING

CW Staff Correspondent

Reporter: The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has been the ruling party of Tanzania for a long time, and under its ruling, politics in Tanzania is sound and stable. Under the leadership of H.E.President Magufuli, the CCM had produced a series of reform measures,including anti-corruption, public spending reduction, building an eきcient and people-friendly government, etc. Could you please brief us on some of the reform measures and their eあect?

Mpogolo: Mainland Tanganyika gained independence in 1961, and the Zanzibar Island in 1963. They formed the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964. The Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), which used to rule the Mainland and the Afro-Shirazi Party(ASP) which used to rule Zanzibar formed Chama Cha Mapinduzi in 1977.Tanzania’s Founding Father Julius Nyerere was the first Party Chairman. The CCM has won five consecutive multiparty elections. The current president of Tanzania is H.E. Mr. Magufuli.

The CCM’s governance policies have changed to adapt to the changing times. Since President Magufuli took the chairmanship, he has emphasized independent development and hard work, especially for the implementation of the Tanzania Vision 2025, which is to build Tanzania into an industrialized country by 2025. To achieve this goal,President Magufuli has initiated an anticorruption campaign in both the ruling party and the government, and encouraged the Tanzanian people to create a peaceful and stable political and social environment for investment attraction.President Magufuli has also stressed the development of friendly relations with foreign countries, mainly by seeking common development based on mutually beneficial cooperation. The President attaches great importance to developing Tanzania’s friendly relations with China, considering Tanzania-China ties a big boost to Tanzanian industrialization. He welcomes more Chinese companies to invest in Tanzania. As for the party-to-party relations, the CCM is always committed to strengthening friendly ties with the Communist Party of China(CPC).

Reporter: In 2011, The Five Year Development Plan (2016-2020) was formulated. Thanks to eあective economic reforms, Tanzania has been one of the fastest developing countries in recent years. But Tanzania still faces downward economic pressure as a result of a lack of infrastructural development,liquidity shortage and bad investmentenvironment. Could you please list some salient problems facing Tanzania’s economy and coping reform measures by the CCM?

Mpogolo: The CCM government believes that a country develops in a stepby-step manner. Under the leadership of the CCM, Tanzania has made many development achievements, but the country still faces many challenges. The government is increasing input and effort in the following fields: first, education, ensuring the opportunity for education for all; second, anti-corruption;third, reduction of government budget and increase of efficiency for budgetary spending; forth, tax reform.

The CCM believes that good education for all enhances the quality of the nation, which is the prerequisite of national development. Otherwise economic and social development is only a flash in the pan. Tanzania is increasing investment in education and making primary and junior secondary school free. For higher education, the government gives educational loan to poor students. Besides, we are pushing forward large-scale infrastructure construction including the standard-gauge railway construction. Tanzania is located in East Africa, where the transportation of people, commodity, and goods relies on railways and roads. Meanwhile, we are pushing for the agenda of constructing a state owned airline company for Tanzania to boost the development of the tourist industry.

Reporter: Shortly after the 19th National Congress of the CPC, the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference sessions were convened. The two sessions were concluded not long ago,and they were important political events in China. What is your opinion about the governance accomplishment achieved by the CPC under the leadership of the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. Are there lessons to learn for developing countries including Tanzania?

Mpogolo: I sincerely congratulate the convening of the two sessions, which is a major event for Chinese politics in the new era. Under the wise leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, China has undergone tremendous changes and great achievement. This has shown that the CPC is a political party serving the people. I believe that the success of the two sessions is of great significance not only to China, but also to all peaceloving countries including Tanzania.China’s development model has already been a role model to Tanzania and other developing countries. For China’s development is inclusive in which every person benefits. Tanzania should learn from China and make inclusive development a goal. Tanzania believes that under the leadership of the CPC, China’s development goals will be realized.

Reporter: In 2013, China put forward the Concept of Building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind(the Concept). After years of development, the Concept has gained more and more recognition and support from countries around the world. How do you view the Concept of Community of Shared Future for Mankind? What roledo political parties play in promoting the construction of the Community of Shared Future for Mankind?

Mpogolo: General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the Concept of Community of Shared Future for Mankind at a right time. The purpose of this Concept is for the common development for all mankind and reflects the fundamental requirement of socialism.In Tanzania, we are developing socialism with Tanzanian characteristics.We believe the implementation of the Concept will benefit not only the Chinese people, but also African people.The Concept reflects respect for man’s value, which coincides with Tanzanian socialism. We are ready to join hands with China and work for the realization of the Community of Shared Future for Mankind.

Deputy Secretary General of Tanzania’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi(CCM) Roderick Mbeglow received an exclusive interview with reporters of Contemporary World.

There are many similarities between the CCM and the CPC. Both our political parties have established close ties with the people, and let people fully participate in national development agenda. Like the CPC, party organizations of the CCM have extended to the most grass-root level. The CCM has formulated our manifesto in line with the interests of the Tanzanian people. After winning elections, the CCM supervises implementation by governments at various levels. This is key to the country’s development. It is fair to say that under the leadership of the CCM, Tanzania’s development has been very inclusive.The CCM is ready to work with the CPC to play a constructive role in promoting the construction of the Community of Shared Future for Mankind.

Reporter: At the end of 2017, the CPC in Dialogue with the World Political Parties High Level Meeting (the Meeting) convened in Beijing. General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech, in which he elaborated a new model of party-to-party relations, in which political parties seek common grounds while shelving diあerences, respect and learn from one another, called for the institutionalization of the Meeting, and common eあort for building the Community of Shared Future for Mankind.What are the comments of the CCM on this Meeting and a new model of political party relations?

Mpogolo: the CPC in Dialogue with the World Political Parties High Level Meeting is very successful. The concept of a new model of political party relations put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping is very important. This concept encourages political parties to strengthen cooperation with each other, and contribute wisdom and effort to coping with domestic and global governance challenges. I believe this is what the concept of a new model of political relations means.

Secretary General Kinana of the CCM attended the Meeting and delivered a report on it afterwards. In December 2017, the CCM convened the 9thNational Party Congress and elected the new central leadership in which President Magufuli was elected unanimously as Chairman of the party.Secretary General Kinana was again appointed as Secretary General. The delegation I headed is composed of National Executive Committee members newly elected at the 9thParty Congress.Before long, the Central Committee and National Executive Committee will convene meetings discussing a series of significant issues, in which Secretary General Kinana will brief the Meeting to the CCM new leadership. This shows that the CCM supports the CPC’s initiative, and is ready to absorb the CPC’s development experience for promoting Tanzanian reform and development.

Reporter: Former US Secretary of State Tillerson visited Africa in March during which he tarnished China’s image by accusing China’s infrastructure investment in Africa of leading to huge government debt and “l(fā)oss of national sovereignty”, cautioning African countries of Chinese loans. Such remarks were questioned and criticized by African countries. The spokesperson of Foreign Ministry of China pointed out that African people know the best and have the largest say on whether China-African cooperation is good or not. What’s your view on such questioning voices? What is your expectation for China-African relations?

Mpogolo: We do not need to care much about what Mr. Tillerson said. I want to stress that Africa-China friendship especially Tanzania-China friendship is very special. Relations between the Chinese and Tanzanian people are like brothers and sisters. President Nyerere and Chairman Mao Zedong jointly cultivated Tanzania-China relations. The Tanzanian side is grateful for the selfless help from China and Chinese people. The defaming words on Africa-China relations cannot cover up the truth. The Tazara Railway is a good example of Africa-China friendship.When we asked the western countries for help to build Tazara, they turned us down. On the contrary, China agreed without hesitation and built a highquality railroad for Tanzania. Another example of Tanzania-China friendship is the Rafiki (friendship) Textile Factory.Chinese project is low in cost but high in quality. The Chinese people do things in our country as well as they do so in China with a great sense of responsibility. The CCM and Tanzanian people is grateful for the contribution by the CPC in promoting Africa-China relations,Tanzania-China friendship and wellbeing of all mankind.

Reporter: The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit will be held in Beijing in September. This summit will be themed as “Co-building the ‘Belt and Road’ and the Community of a Shared Future for China and Africa” to promote China-Africa relations.Tanzania is an important country along the 21th Century Maritime Silk Road.How can China and Tanzania cooperate under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative?

Mpogolo: Tanzania enjoys political stability, a high level of national security, a broad market, and sound investment environment. Under the leadership of President Magufuli, Tanzanian people are striving for the realization of the Tanzania Vision 2025. We need investment from outside world, especially capital, technology, and personnel support from China. The FOCAC Summit to be held in September this year in Beijing will be a huge opportunity for Tanzania. With this opportunity, we hope to attract more Chinese tourists and investors to Tanzania, propelling the realization of Tanzanian industrialization.Tanzania is facing many challenges including inadequate input in education.We urgently need skills in the engineering, construction, oil and gas development, etc. Therefore we hope to see more Chinese experts to visit Tanzania and disperse knowledge and technology. We would like to see more opportunities for Tanzanian youngsters to study in China. Personnel exchanges can be achieved not only through the state-tostate channel but also the party-to-party channel. In the meantime, we hope to put forward a Tanzanian initiative at the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Such exchanges and cooperation will help further enhance governing capability of the CCM, raise the Tanzania-China mutually beneficial cooperation to a new height, and contribute our share to the Beijing Summit.