CCM reforms in good graces

SYLIVESTER DOMASA

POLITICAL analysts and a cross-section of members of the public have commended the recent reforms by CCM endorsed on Tuesday by the ruling party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

A veteran politician, Mr Chrisant Mzindakaya, has expressed satisfaction on the reforms, saying they would help protect the party’s confidentiality, improve cost-cutting measures and allow the secretariat execute their duties professionally.
The staunch CCM cadre noted that of late, number of members of NEC was more than that of MPs, thus eroding the power of the party and leading to leakages of the party’s secrets.
Mr Mzindakaya was of the view that such changes made by CCM National Chairman, President John Magufuli, were expected for years and that they were corresponding with the style, which was adopted by the Father of the Nation and the party’s founder, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
“Ideally, most of the decisions made by the party are confidential. But it turned different within the ruling party.
The increased number of leaders has accelerated unnecessary operational costs and led to leakages of confidential information,” he argued. Political analysts who spoke with the ‘Daily News’ also said the sweeping reforms indicate a likelihood of change in the country’s political landscape.
The reforms have come just a year after the general elections where it faced an increasingly tough challenge from the opposition parties that had merged into a homogenous outfit known as UKAWA. A political analyst, Mr Joseph Butiku, said: “I had not expected such changes specifically.
But I had hope some changes would come. Such reforms are meaningful to opposition parties too,” he commented. Even though Mr Butiku couldn’t go into details, he said such reforms can play a good lesson to opposition parties, which are currently gaining more popularity.
University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) political scientist and senior lecturer, Dr Benson Bana said: “This is the people’s party ... Magufuli is showing commitment to turn around the party to be more accountable to its members. He observed that the decision to offload the number of leaders was also positive for the party that seeks to be self-dependant.
An opposition politician, Mr Julius Mtatiro, said: “To be honest, I even lauded the decision of appointing Mr Humphrey Polepole to replace Mr Nape Nnauye as the NEC Ideology and Publicity Secretary.”
Mr Mtatiro, who is a senior CUF official, was, however, concerned with the appointment of Colonel Ngemela Lubinga, the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces spokesperson as its new Political and Foreign Relations Secretary.
“This is against the constitution of Tanzania that prevents members of security organs such as the military to register for membership in political parties,” he said, questioning the legitimacy of the appointment.
However, Col Lubinga told the ‘Daily News’ that he had retired from his military position since December 2. The party’s outgoing Ideology and Publicity Secretary, Mr Nape Nnauye, announced at the party’s Lumumba Sub-Head Office in Dar es Salaam that CCM plans to amend its constitution to accommodate sweeping reforms, including reduction of NEC and Central Committee (CC) members.
Under the reforms ever made in the 40-year old political party, the number of NEC and CC members will be reduced to 158 and 24 from 388 and 34, respectively. The party also halved the frequency of its annual internal meetings from the grassroots to national levels.
A resident of Chanika in Dar es Salaam, Mr Hamidu Salika, commended the reforms, saying they will strengthen the party from the grassroots level. party, the number of NEC and CC members will be reduced to 158 and 24 from 388 and 34, respectively.
The party also halved the frequency of its annual internal meetings from the grassroots to national levels. A resident of Chanika in Dar es Salaam, Mr Hamidu Salika, commended the reforms, saying they will strengthen the party from the grassroots level.