Vice President Resigns, Often at Odds with President
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - An unexpected move came from Tanzania’s Vice President, Emmanuel Nchimbi, who abruptly announced his resignation. The historic decision makes him the first vice president to resign in the history of the East African country.
Citing BBC International, Thursday (27/08/2026), the surprising announcement came just weeks after Emmanuel was reported to have fallen out with President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The 54-year-old shared his brief resignation letter via his Instagram account, citing a desire to respect the president’s wishes, a move later confirmed by sources in his office and the presidency.
Emmanuel stated that he would retire from public life at the end of the following week. The resignation came less than 10 months after he was sworn in as Samia’s deputy.
It should be noted that the pair had won the presidential election in October last year and were officially inaugurated in November after sweeping 98% of the vote. The election was marred by disputes and sparked violent protests that led to the deaths of at least 500 people, according to an official inquiry.
Opposition groups and human rights organisations accused security forces of carrying out harsh and brutal actions against anti-government protesters following the vote. Regarding his decision to step down, Emmanuel referred to a promise he had made to Samia that he was ready to leave his post if the president wanted a new deputy.
“I have become convinced, without doubt, that the president wants change, and therefore I have decided to honour my promise,” he said.
He also thanked the president, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party for their trust, and the people of Tanzania for their support. He stressed that he was leaving his post in accordance with the country’s constitution and would continue to be a good Tanzanian citizen.
The rift with Samia is strongly suspected to have been triggered by a number of controversial statements made by Emmanuel in recent weeks. Last month, he publicly urged the Tanzanian people to fight for a new constitution and argued that there was an opportunity to secure one before 2030.
He linked the presence of a new constitution as an essential way out to address injustice, strengthen human rights, good governance, and democracy.
For context, Emmanuel is not an ordinary figure in Tanzanian politics. He previously served as Secretary General of the CCM and held various strategic positions in government, including Minister of Information and Home Affairs, before becoming Tanzania’s Ambassador to Brazil and Egypt.