In a groundbreaking development never before seen in post-independence Tanzania, Vice-President Emmanuel Nchimbi has announced he will step down from his position and retire from all public service by the end of next week, just 10 months after he was officially sworn into office.
The 54-year-old leader shared details of his decision in a short letter addressed to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, which he published to his personal Instagram account over the weekend. Senior sources within both Nchimbi’s own office and the presidential administration have since verified the authenticity of the resignation, confirming the impending exit.
Nchimbi’s departure marks the first time any sitting vice-president has resigned voluntarily since Tanzania gained full independence in 1961 and unified with Zanzibar to form the modern state in 1964. In his public letter, the outgoing vice-president framed his exit as fulfilling a prior pledge he made to President Samia: that he would leave office if she determined a different deputy would better serve the nation.
This announcement comes amid widespread unconfirmed media reports of a growing political rift between President Samia and her deputy over the past several months, though neither party has publicly confirmed any tensions. Nchimbi rose to the vice-presidency after joining Samia’s ticket as her running mate for the 2025 presidential election held last October. He was officially sworn into office the following November, following the ruling party’s landslide election victory that claimed 98 percent of the national vote.
That election outcome was immediately contested by Tanzania’s opposition parties, who alleged widespread electoral irregularities. The post-election unrest that followed the disputed result sparked violent protests across the country, and a subsequent official inquiry found that at least 500 people lost their lives in the crackdown on demonstrations. Opposition leaders and international human rights organizations have since accused Tanzanian security forces of carrying out a brutal, excessive crackdown on anti-government demonstrators, a claim the government has repeatedly denied.
In his published resignation letter, Nchimbi wrote, “I have become convinced, without doubt, that the president wants changes, and I have therefore decided to fulfil my promise.” He went on to extend gratitude to President Samia and the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party for the trust they extended to him throughout his decades-long career, and thanked ordinary Tanzanian citizens for their support during his time in public office.
Nchimbi emphasized that his exit adheres to all constitutional procedures, and noted that he will remain a law-abiding, active citizen of Tanzania following his departure from office.
Before ascending to the vice-presidency, Nchimbi built a decades-long career in Tanzanian politics and public service. He previously served as Secretary-General of CCM, and held multiple senior cabinet positions including Minister of Information and Minister of Home Affairs. He also served as Tanzania’s ambassador to Brazil before taking on the role of ambassador to Egypt ahead of his 2025 vice-presidential run.