Just In: Vice President Resigns in Unprecedented Move
- Vice-President Emmanuel Nchimbi announced his resignation in a letter to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, shared on Instagram
- Nchimbi, 54, will be the first Tanzanian vice-president to step down since the country gained independence in 1964
- The resignation comes less than 10 months after Nchimbi was sworn in, amid reports of a falling out between him and the president
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Tanzania's Vice-President Emmanuel Nchimbi has announced he is stepping down from office and retiring from public life altogether, with his departure set for the end of next week.
The 54-year-old broke the news through a brief letter addressed to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, which he published on his Instagram account. Sources within both his office and the presidency confirmed the resignation was genuine.
Source: Twitter
BBC reported that Nchimbi will become the first vice-president to leave office voluntarily since Tanzania gained independence in 1964, making the move historically unprecedented.
Why Nchimbi is stepping down
In his letter, Nchimbi pointed to a promise he had made to President Samia when he took office — that he would resign if she ever felt a different vice-president would better serve her administration.
"I have become convinced, without doubt, that the president wants changes, and I have therefore decided to fulfil my promise," he wrote.
He expressed gratitude to the president, to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party for the confidence they had placed in him, and to Tanzanians who supported him throughout his career in public service. He also pledged to remain a "good citizen of Tanzania" after leaving office.
The announcement follows media reports suggesting that a rift had developed between Samia and her deputy, though no official explanation for the reported tension has been given.
Nchimbi's background and tenure
Nchimbi was sworn in last November after serving as Samia's running mate in the presidential election held the previous month. That election was deeply contentious — the winning ticket took about 98% of the vote, a result the opposition rejected. Violent protests that followed left at least 500 people dead, according to an official inquiry, with opposition parties and human rights organisations accusing security forces of brutally cracking down on anti-government demonstrators.
Before becoming vice-president, Nchimbi had a long career in both party and government roles. He previously served as secretary-general of CCM and held ministerial portfolios covering information and home affairs. He later represented Tanzania diplomatically as ambassador to Brazil and subsequently to Egypt.
His resignation brings to a close a vice-presidential tenure that lasted less than 10 months.
South Africa, Rwanda clash over Congo crisis
Legit.ng earlier reported that South Africa and Rwanda renewed their rivalry in the Southern African region, particularly with the crisis rocking the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The situation escalated when President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa accused the M23 rebel group backed by Rwanda of killing his country's peacekeepers in DR Congo.
South Africa then took a diplomatic salvo, saying further attacks on its troops would be seen as a "declaration of war".
Source: Legit.ng
