[5] Incumbent president and 2010 nominee Jakaya Kikwete is ineligible for re-election due to term limits.

On 12 July, Minister of Works John Magufuli was selected as the party's presidential nominee,[9] and was most likely to win.

In February 2014, the CCM's Central Committee summoned and interrogated six prospective candidates at the party's headquarters in Dodoma; and banned them from engaging in premature campaigns for a period of twelve months.

The four disqualified aspirants were Anthony Chalamila, Helena Elinewinga, Muzammil Kalokola and Peter Nyalile.

[9] At the party's 8th National Congress in 2012, the following four aspirants were the favourites among the NEC delegates and were elected by them: Wasira (89%), Makamba (87%), Nchemba (84%) and Membe (61%).