POLITICAL commentators and CCM stalwarts yesterday welcomed the appointment of Dr Bashiru Ally  as the ruling party Secretary General, describing it as strategy to rejuvenate the party and embrace new ideas.

Their views were based on the fact that Dr Ally, as many were surprised by his appointment on Tuesday, was unpopular face in the party politics, but an expert who researched and worked on political matters for years.
Recently, Dr Ally who was a political science lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam was tasked to lead the committee that verified the party’s assets in Mainland Tanzania and handed over the report to CCM National Chairman John Magufuli last week.
Some analysts and party members, including Members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday said, CCM was seemingly capitalising on political professionalism and ideas of Dr Ally for the betterment of the party.
Prof Gaudence Mpangala, a political expert with Ruaha Catholic University (RUCU), linked the appointment to Magufuli’s determination to cleanse the party by getting rid of continually picking cadres to the highest post.
“President Magufuli has decided to appoint new blood…and I am familiar with Bashiru, he is a person I have worked with, I know he is capable of doing researches that will benefit CCM in its endeavours to realize its targets,” Prof Mpangala remarked.
However, he advised Dr Ally to align himself to performing party politics in fields. “Senior party members were surprised by his appointment because it has been a tradition that those appointed normally come from among them to perpetuate the same attitudes,” he said.
Another commentator, Prof Mwesiga Baregu from Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), described Dr Ally as his former student at UDSM, saying he knows him as a hard worker and good researcher. Prof Baregu said, the new chief executive will help CCM in running the government, craft the party policies and improve democracy.
“My advice is for him not only to focus on supervising party affairs and giving less weight to national matters,” he advised. Nachingwea MP Hassan Masala (CCM) opinioned that the appointment was right and has come a right time, arguing that the new appointee is only required to infuse his intellectualism into the party.
“Being unfamiliar with the party conducts doesn’t mean that he cannot handle the responsibilities, as my lecturer at the university I know his ability,” he said.
Another CCM Special Seats legislator Amina Mollel was pleased with the appointment, dismissing claims that Dr Bashiru’s low experience in the party may impair his performance.
She appealed to party members to accord him cooperation to enable him perform well in his new post.