CCM congress unanimously okays constitution changes

Dodoma. The CCM national congress yesterday unanimously approved constitutional amendments and ushered in major changes on party structure and systems.

The congress, holding its extraordinary meeting here, also approved proposals by the CCM national chairman, President John Magufuli, to fill three vacant posts in the Secretariat.

In the new appointments, Dr Abdallah Juma Abdallah was named deputy secretary general in Zanzibar, Mr Pereira Ame Silima was appointed the new secretary for organisation, while Dr Frank George becomes the new secretary of finance.

Opening the meeting, President Magufuli noted that the changes would improve efficiency of the ruling party and enable it to effectively compete with the opposition.

“The changes stem from CCM’s long-standing culture of self-assessment. From the assessment we made after the General Election, we established the need for introducing these changes,” he said.

Dr Magufuli added that the changes aim at improving the structure and operating systems within the party with a view to, among other things, reducing operational costs.

He said the evaluation established a number of shortcomings, including a litany of positions that were not mentioned in the constitution.

In some cases, members holding such posts wielded so much power to the extent they started to create divisions and destabilise the party.

Dr Magufuli said the changes also aimed at improving efficiency within the party.

Elaborating, he noted that performance in CCM normally drops soon after elections and sometimes during elections.

He also noted that the changes would be adopted as a vehicle for bringing CCM closer to the grassroots, adding that CCM was formed as party for the oppressed but “along the way some people with deep pockets hijacked it”.

“We should go back to our roots and basics. This is a party for the poor and oppressed.”

The CCM chairman said it was unfortunate that some meetings were used to oppress the poor and sometimes plot against the party.

The changes also aim at making CCM economically independent.

Dr Magufuli said the party had plenty of resources, which, however, were not helping it.

“You all know that CCM owns many buildings, but the party has not benefited from them. Under the new proposed arrangements we want to identify and recognise all our resources and ensure that they are optimally used for the benefit of the party and not individuals.”

Detailing the changes, CCM secretary-general Abdulrahman Kinana said the party would cut the size of various organs and frequency of meetings at all levels as a way of reducing costs and improving efficiency.

The number of Central Committee (CC) members will be reduced from the current 34 to 24 while the number of National Executive Council (NEC) delegates will be slashed from over 380 to 163.

CC meetings have been reduced from once every two months to four months, but would be held if there is a pressing need for doing so.

Meanwhile, CCM ideology and publicity secretary Humphrey Polepole told delegates that after the conclusion of internal elections towards the end of this year, the party would begin building a university.

“We want to groom our politicians who will be able to maintain a strong party which will continue to lead while others follow,” he said.