On April 12th it was announced that there had been some major changes in the composition of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. The main topic at the meeting was apparently the party's relatively poor performance at the October 2010 elections, which led the party leadership to accept that the CCM needed to reform from within. The three key changes made to the leadership of the secretariat of the NEC were the appointment of:

• a new secretary general: Yussuf Makamba was replaced by a retired, but long-serving former civil servant, Wilson Mukama;
• a new deputy secretary general (mainland): George Mkuchika was replaced by the former publicity and ideology secretary, John Chiligati; and
• a new deputy secretary general (Zanzibar): Vuai Ali Vuai has been appointed to replace Saleh Ramadhan Feruzi.

While these changes are probably the most high profile, much of the party's formal secretariat was changed. In addition to the above changes, the other two most important developments were that the member of parliament (MP) for Iramba West, Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba, was appointed as the party treasurer to replace Rostam Aziz, who is reported not to even have attended the meeting. In addition, January Makamba, the MP for Bumbuli and son of the outgoing secretary general, became the secretary for foreign affairs and international relations. The final changes included the appointment of Nape Nnauye to replace Mr Chiligati, while Asha Juma is now secretary for economic affairs and finance.