Edward Lowassa

==Presidential aspirations==
In 1995, Lowassa was among the more than 15 CCM aspirants for the presidency, but he was stopped in his tracks by retired president Julius Nyerere, who found him to have enriched himself too fast. Lowassa was eliminated by Nyerere's fiat and that contest within the party was eventually won by Benjamin Mkapa, who also won the election and became Tanzania's third president.<ref>Jenerali Ulimwengu, [https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/OpEd/comment/As-Kikwete-succession-hots-up-Edward-Lowassa-is-man-to-watch/-/434750/2217350/-/item/1/-/11rn244z/-/index.html "As the race to succeed Kikwete hots up, Lowassa is the man to watch"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301205058/https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/OpEd/comment/As-Kikwete-succession-hots-up-Edward-Lowassa-is-man-to-watch/-/434750/2217350/-/item/1/-/11rn244z/-/index.html |date=1 March 2020 }}, ''The East African'', 22 February 2014.</ref>

In 2005, Lowassa strongly backed his friend Jakaya Kikwete and the two were dubbed "Boys Two Men" because of their strong political union that eventually enabled Kikwete to defeat all his rivals within the ruling party.<ref name="thecitizen.co.tz">[http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/national/-/1840392/2662034/-/l42xjvz/-/index.html "The big fear behind Lowassa's presidential aspirations"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301235509/https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/national/-/1840392/2662034/-/l42xjvz/-/index.html |date=1 March 2020 }}, ''The Citizen '', 22 March 2015.</ref>

In 2014, Lowassa faced a one-year ban from CCM after he was accused of starting his campaign for presidency ahead of the authorized time. The ban expired in February 2015, only to be extended by the CCM Central Committee on the grounds that their final report was still not ready.<ref name="thecitizen.co.tz"/>

In May 2015, Lowassa eventually launched his presidential campaign in Arusha. He stated that his top priorities would be overhauling the country's education sector, reducing poverty, boosting economic growth and fighting corruption.<ref>Reuters [http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-ex-tanzanian-prime-minister-lowassa-launches-presidential-bid/2801934.html "Ex-Tanzanian PM Lowassa Launches Presidential Bid"], ''Voice of America '', 31 May 2015.</ref>

On 11 July 2015, the CCM Central Committee eliminated Lowassa from its list of presidential aspirants. CCM shortlisted January Makamba, Bernard Membe, Asha-Rose Migiro, John Magufuli and Amina Salum Ali for the National Executive Committee (NEC) vote of 378 members. The elimination of Lowassa came as a shock to many who viewed him as an inevitable candidate.<ref>[https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/CCM-fallout-looms-as-Lowassa-left-out-of-presidential-race/-/2558/2783678/-/1vfc38z/-/index.html "CCM fallout looms as Lowassa left out of presidential race"], ''The East African'', 11 July 2015.</ref>

Having failed to get the nomination, Lowassa denounced the CCM as "infested with leaders who are dictators, undemocratic and surrounded with greedy power mongers." He left the party and instead joined [[Chadema]], an opposition party. On 4 August 2015, he was designated as the presidential candidate of a coalition of four opposition parties, including Chadema.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/tanzanian-opposition-pick-ex-prime-minister-presidential-race-151615018.html "Tanzanian opposition pick ex-prime minister for presidential race"], AFP, 4 August 2015.</ref> On 1 March 2019 Lowassa left Chadema and rejoined the CCM.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 March 2019|title=Veteran Tanzanian politician Edward Lowassa returns to CCM|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/veteran-tanzanian-politician-edward-lowassa-returns-to-ccm-1413444|url-status=live|access-date=27 October 2021|website=The East African|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027162506/https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/veteran-tanzanian-politician-edward-lowassa-returns-to-ccm-1413444 |archive-date=27 October 2021 }}</ref>