CCM anniversary without Magufuli, Shein

Dodoma. The ruling party, CCM, yesterday marked its 40 birthday in an indoor meeting at the Dodoma Convention Centre. The party chairman, President John Magufuli didn’t attend.

The party’s secretary general, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, who was the guest of honour, told party supporters that President Magufuli would find another time and place to mark the anniversary.

“I am coming to you with special greetings from chairman Magufuli, he is going to find another time and place to mark this great and historic day of our party,” said Mr Kinana.

Apart from President Magufuli, other party bigwigs who did not attend the celebrations are Vice President Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan and the party’s Vice Chairperson and President of Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar Dr Ali Mohammed Shein.

Unlike past celebrations, this year’s event was not pompous and colourful. “We should end the tradition of holding big celebrations. I know there will be some noises, but we are moving on. When you have chains of celebrations that means you will have a mountain of expenditure and the current spirit of the party and its government is to tame that culture,” said Mr Kinana.

According to Mr Kinana, the party under chairman Magufuli, is leading a wave of changes to make CCM a more efficient party and a strong organisation.

“It has reached a time that the party had a huge number of leaders that at times we lacked funds to make party tours. Now, we have decided to narrow the number of delegates in all party organs,” he said.

Prime Minister Majaliwa was the topmost government figure in the event. He said, the government in power would continue to execute all election pledges made by CCM in the last general election.