The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Tanzania's ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) on Saturday sacked 12 members and relieved six others of their leadership roles for what it described as "sabotaging the party".

"Time for tolerating saboteurs within the party is over," CCM Ideology and Publicity Secretary Humphrey Polepole told a news conference in the political capital Dodoma at the end of a one-day NEC meeting chaired by President John Magufuli.

Polepole said according to CCM regulations, a member who has been sacked for committing mistakes out of ignorance might reapply membership after 48 months but someone who have been sacked out of gross misconduct has no chance of being readmitted.

He said those who have been relieved of their leadership roles will have to wait for 40 months before considering contesting for any post within the party.

source: Xinhua