THE ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has amended its January 1977 Constitution to officially include virtual meetings—E-Meetings—across all levels of the party, including the National Congress.

Under the new changes, all projects implemented at district and regional levels must now receive written approval from the party’s Board of Trustees, replacing the previous procedure where decisions could be finalized at local levels.

Additionally, the number of Board of Trustees members has been increased from eight to nine to align with the Political Parties Act, which requires an odd number of board members.

CCM National Chairperson, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, said the party is evolving in line with global trends and has adopted digital tools for its operations.

“We have installed systems that allow communication between the national office and regional and district branches to ease coordination,” she said.

She added, “We are introducing E-Meetings for district secretariats, district and regional political committees, the CCM National Executive Committee, the Central Committee, and the National Congress. Moving forward, we are going digital, and regulations will be established.”

President Samia noted that the inclusion of these meetings in the Constitution ensures their legality and prevents irregularities.

“Meetings may be held virtually only when necessary and with the Secretary General’s approval. This is to avoid misuse of the platforms,” she emphasized.

One key amendment involves increasing the number of Trustees from eight to nine.

“The law requires an odd number of board members. Currently, we have eight, so we are adding one more, and this will now be reflected in the Constitution,” she explained.

Another critical amendment includes the phrase "in writing" in reference to seeking approval from the Board of Trustees regarding economic activities and political ventures.

“The current Constitution allows the board to delegate powers to district and regional political committees. However, going forward, written approval will be required before executing any project,” she said.