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Tanzanian President to take over chair of ruling party

Xinhua, July 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Tanzania's ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) on Friday endorsed Tanzanian President John Magufuli to take over as chairman of the party.

President Magufuli will be elected to lead the east African nation's ruling party at the party's congress in the political capital Dodoma on Saturday, said the party's publicity secretary Christopher Ole Sendeka.

President Magufuli who was elected the country's President in October last year will succeed former President Jakaya Kikwete who was the party's chairman for the last decade.

Members of CCM's National Executive Committee said they expected the new chairman to fix the party's internal misunderstandings and unite all rival camps.

An NEC member and Member of Parliament for Hanang, Mary Nagu, said the first and foremost important task ahead of President Magufuli was to unite the party and make it stronger.

Aeshi Hilaly, the MP for Sumbawanga, said the first priority for the new chairman was to install discipline in the party.

"Let me just be honest, the party has been hugely affected by undisciplined members and leaders. People were breaching the party's constitution and committing a number of ethical offenses and they were not disciplined," said Hilaly.

Faida Mohammed Bakar, Special Seats MP and NEC member from Zanzibar, said last year's presidential nominations left the party with political scars.

"The new CCM chairman must be bold enough to heal these political wounds inflicted on the party," she said.

Mwanza CCM Regional Chairman Anthony Diallo said President Magufuli should introduce cost cutting measures in the party like he did in the government and should start by reducing the number of employees of the party.

Since he took power on November 5 last year, President Magufuli has taken several austerity measures, including boosting tax collection and banning foreign travel for public servants.

The President said these measures were aimed at improving government revenue collection that will be used to provide social services including free education and health.

President Magufuli has also introduced a special anti-corruption court that will deal with grand corruption cases. Endit