Dodoma. Two different sets of warnings were issued in Dodoma yesterday – by the Police Force and CCM.

While Regional Police Commander David Misime asked visitors who have nothing important to do in Dodoma this week to stay away, CCM told off aspirants who have issued threats should they be axed during the nomination process that started here yesterday.

Mr Misime spoke yesterday as political temperatures started rising in the designated capital in a week when CCM’s top brass is set to hold meetings to pick its presidential candidate. He cautioned that it would be safer for those who have nothing important to do in the capital to leave the municipality, which is bustling with top-level politicians and their supporters.

Some 10,000 people are expected. “Law enforcement and other organs will have a tough time dealing with this abrupt and huge swell in population in an area not used to hosting so many people at a time,” Mr Misime said.

Besides security concerns, he added, there might be inconveniences such as a shortage of accommodation and it might be a good idea for those who have little to do in the city to stay away.

“There are others who come here only to show their support for the aspirants of their choice but they do not participate in the formal meetings,” he said. “Such people had better stay away because their presence here will have no influence on decisions at the meetings.”

Security has been heightened in and around Dodoma and a road passing by Parliament buildings was closed yesterday.

Meanwhile, CCM urged the party’s 38 presidential aspirants to accept the outcome of the nomination process with grace.

The party’s Ideology and Publicity Secretary, Mr Nape Nnauye, said the ruling party would nominate the candidate best placed to be the flag-bearer in the October elections and gave an assurance that due process and the party’s constitution would be respected. “We will not succumb to pressure from anyone,” Mr Nnauye added.

He assured members that the party believes in intra-party democracy and in the rights of suitable candidates to contest the post of their choice.

Some 38 aspirants have handed in their nomination forms.

 Earlier, there were reports that some aspirants would not readily accept the outcome of the nomination if they were dropped in the early stages.