CHAUMMA Secretary-General Salum Mwalimu has dismissed claims that he and his colleagues left Chadema due to financial hardship, stating that he personally loaned millions of shillings to Chadema during his time with the party.

Speaking amid the party’s ongoing nationwide tour, Mwalimu responded to those questioning where CHAUMMA gets the money to fund its activities. He explained that, just like in the past, the party is run through member contributions and personal sacrifices.

“Some people say we left because of hunger. Ask those I owe — I loaned Chadema millions. I’ve never been an MP or a councilor. I used my own money, my parents’ money, even my children’s, to support the party. Now people claim I’m hungry?” he said.

He emphasized that the debt Chadema owes him is not small. “It’s not one shilling, it’s not ten million — it’s millions. Now that we are building CHAUMMA, people are suddenly asking where we’re getting funds. But where did we get money back then?”

Mwalimu accused critics of ignoring the truth, quoting a Swahili proverb: "The sweetness of a previous lie does not prevent the bitter truth from coming out." He insisted CHAUMMA is grounded in commitment and sacrifice, not desperation.

He further noted that the party is well-prepared for the upcoming general elections and will field candidates in all positions. He added that next week, CHAUMMA will announce procedures for collecting and returning nomination forms for both parliamentary and councilor seats.

Currently, the party is on a 16-day “Chaumcma For Change (C4C)” tour, launched June 3 in Mwanza. The tour covers several regions including Mara, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Geita, Katavi, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Tanga — using both helicopters and vehicles to reach communities across the country.