Series 5 #ElectionsInTanzania2015: Are #CCM Presidential Nomination Candidates failing #Kinana’s successful politics of Image?

By Aikande Kwayu

In 2014 I blogged about the Politics of Image. The blog was informed by images of CCM Secretariat meetings and activities across the country. In brief, I thought the party was very effective in rebranding itself as party for a normal mwananchi – a humble party that fits in into everyday mwananchi life.

Since CCM released its schedule for form collection, we have CCM an increasing number of members announcing and reaffirming their intention to run. Ironically, the images and dramatic moves we have so far seen in the announcements are not what the secretariat has been trying to portray over the last one year or so.

But, I guess politics of money which is manifested through images have now became a worldwide thing. Wole Soyinka observed and lamented the same about the recent past elections in Nigeria. So did Lee Kuan Yew who noted it as a problem of elections in neoliberal democracy systems.

Money – as opposed to policies/ideologies- has become the most influential variable in elections within neoliberal democracy. I have even asked my self, is it the case that neoliberalism has become so dominant to the point that Fukayama’s early 1990s thesis of “the end of history” is now becoming a reality? In that, because there are no competing ideologies – so the contrasting variable becomes money and not ideas since ideas are the same – end of history!

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