He was then the CCM’s Regional Chairman for Mara—a position he lost in an election that some analysts saw as payback for Mr Nyerere’s staunch support for the ousting of Mr Lowassa, Mr Chenge and Mr Aziz. Mr Nyerere lost the CCM election in the region to a virtually unknown candidate and his allies still hold that his political stand was to blame for the embarrassing defeat.
Ndani ya kundi hilo ni wawili Lowassa na Membe ambao walikuwa pamoja na Kikwete katika mchakato wa kuwania urais kupitia CCM mwaka 2005, wakiwa katika kundi lililojipatia umaarufu kama ‘mtandao’, kundi ambalo kwa sasa limeshasambaratika na baadhi yao wakitajwa kuratibu uundwaji wa makundi mapya ya kimkakati.