Tanzania’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party has expelled Emmanuel Nchimbi, days after he announced his resignation as the country’s vice-president just 10 months into the role.
The 54-year-old had stirred controversy in recent weeks with a series of pointed remarks, including a call for Tanzanians to push for a new constitution, fuelling speculation of a rift with President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Nchimbi served as Samia’s running mate in October’s fiercely disputed presidential election, a vote that triggered violent unrest in which hundreds of people were killed.
The CCM’s decision to expel him for indiscipline was made at an extraordinary party meeting chaired by President Samia, though officials gave no details on the specific allegations against him. Nchimbi’s resignation, which he shared in a brief letter posted to Instagram on Tuesday, takes effect at the end of next week and makes him the first vice-president in Tanzania’s history to step down from the post. He said he had come to believe, “without doubt,” that the president wanted change.
Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi, 43, has been nominated to succeed him and will now need parliamentary approval to take up the role.
Samia and Nchimbi were sworn in last November after a landslide win of 98% of the vote, in an election boycotted by the main opposition party, Chadema, which had demanded electoral reforms before taking part. The vote’s aftermath was marked by a deadly crackdown, with an official inquiry putting the death toll from the unrest at more than 50, a figure human rights groups and opposition parties have linked to a violent security force response to anti-government protests.
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