Analysts hail CCM shake-up

POLITICAL analysts have commended the shake-up of CCM’s secretariat, noting that the changes are crucial for strengthening the party in line with the transformation agenda being spearheaded by its National Chairperson, President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

The ruling party’s Central Committee of the National Executive Committee (NEC) on Saturday made major changes to some key positions within the party’s secretariat, almost five weeks after it elected leaders for top positions.

Reacting to the changes during telephone interviews with ‘Daily News’ yesterday, the political pundits were of the view that the party’s top organ made the changes to cope with the current political situation in the country.

“The changes were vital for preparations of local government elections next year and the General Election in 2025,” a lecturer at Catholic University College of Mbeya (CUCoM), a constituent college of St Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Mr Samsom Mwigamba, observed.

According to Mr Mwigamba, the shake-up of CCM secretariat is also crucial for supervising implementation of the party’s manifesto for 2020-2025 and preparations of the manifesto for 2025-2030.

“Dr Samia inherited some members of the secretariat from her predecessor, the late Dr John Magufuli, and as such, she has been analysing party members to form a new team which will cope with her philosophy of transforming the party.

“The changes also reflect the political situation within the ruling party and the country as a whole,” the analyst stated.

A lecturer at the Tanzania Centre for Foreign Relations, Mr Abbas Mwalimu, attributed the shake-up of CCM secretariat to preparations of forthcoming elections next year and 2025, among other factors.

“In my view, the changes have also been influenced by the philosophy of Dr Samia on reconciliation, resilience, reforms and rebuilding of the country,” the political and diplomacy commentator told this paper.

Mr Mwalimu noted further that the transformation of CCM requires new people in the positions of leadership who will devise new strategies of strengthening the ruling party.

“Appointment of Sophia Mjema as the party’s secretary for ideology and publicity and other women in top positions is also aimed at persuading more women to support the party since they make majority of voters during elections.

“It is very important to include women in positions of leadership since they understand challenges facing the people from the grassroots level,” the analyst commented.

For his part, a political analyst and lecturer at Iringa University, Mr Jimso Sanga, noted that the changes were inevitable for the party to remain strong in its position as a ruling party.

“A party which does not embrace changes remains in a conservative state. It was thus vital to overhaul the secretariat since the party belongs to all members and leadership positions is like a relay race where positions have to change hands,” he explained.

Mr Sanga hailed the changes for embracing gender equality, stressing that the shake-up is well structured at the time when President Samia has lifted the ban on political rallies by all registered political parties.

“The new team is expected to put more focus on staged dialogue and respond to issues raised by opposition parties and refrain from confrontational politics,” he observed.

Another political and diplomacy analyst, Mr Goodluck Ng’ingo, said the shake-up has come at a time when the country is set for major reforms in the political arena including opening up of the political space for all political parties.

“The secretariat is charged with day-to-day activities of the party. The new members are people who have served the party in various positions for long time and they know the party structures very well.

“It is apparent that the new team will reinforce mobilisation and devise new strategies for steering the party forward,” he opined.

Through the new changes announced on Saturday, Shinyanga Regional Commissioner, Ms Sophia Mjema has become CCM Secretary for Ideology and Publicity, taking over from Mr Shaka Hamdu Shaka.

The Central Committee which sat under its Chairperson Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan also made appointment of six party cadres to the CCM’s CC and others into the secretariat.

Addressing a press conference in Dar es Salaam, the outgoing CCM Secretary for Publicity and Ideology, Mr Shaka said NEC brought new faces to the position of CCM deputy secretaries general for Mainland and Zanzibar.

He said the NEC appointed Mr Anamringi Macha as new Deputy Secretary General for CCM (Mainland) while Mohammed Said Dimwa becomes the Deputy SG for Zanzibar.

Mr Macha took over from Ms Christina Mndeme while Mr Dimwa is replaced by Dr Abdallah Juma Saadala.

According to Mr Shaka, Issa Haji Gavu will now head the party’s Organisation department, replacing Ms, Mouldine Castico who has been serving the position since April 2021.

The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mbarouk Nassor Mbarouk has become the Head of Political Affairs and International Relations department, replacing Col (Rtd) Ngemela Lubinga.

The post of the Secretary for the department of Economy and Finance will continue to be held by Dr Frank Hawasi.

In its extraordinary meeting the Central Committee also re-appointed former Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda to the CC.

Other members appointed to CC are Hassan Wakasuvi, who is the CCM Chairperson for Tabora Region, and Halima Mamuya, who was the Secretary General of the CCM Women’s Wing (UWT).

The appointees from Zanzibar are Mohamed Aboud Mohamed, Engineer Nasri Ali and Ms Lela Ngozi.

The new appointments have come following completion of CCM election held in December last year where President Samia was elected to head the party for a period of five years.

During the election, the President and Chairman of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Dr Hussein Mwinyi was elected as Vice-Chairman of the party in Zanzibar while Col (Rtd) Abdulrahman Kinana was elected to the post of Vice-Chairman (Mainland).