Tanzania's Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi has been expelled from the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party for indiscipline, following his resignation from the vice presidency earlier this week. The 54-year-old's departure comes after 10 months in the role and reportedly stems from disagreements with President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Nchimbi had made controversial statements in recent weeks, including a call for Tanzanians to "fight for a new constitution," which suggested a potential rift with President Hassan. He was Hassan's running mate in the October presidential election, an election that was marred by post-poll unrest and resulted in hundreds of deaths.
The CCM made the decision to expel Nchimbi during an extraordinary party meeting chaired by President Hassan. While the party did not provide specific details regarding the indiscipline allegations, Nchimbi's resignation is set to take effect at the end of next week. He is the first vice-president in Tanzania's history to resign.
In his brief resignation letter, shared on Instagram, Nchimbi stated his intention to retire from public life, citing his conviction that "the president wants changes." President Hassan and Nchimbi were sworn into office last November after securing 98% of the vote in an election that the main opposition party, Chadema, boycotted due to a demand for electoral reforms.
Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi, 43, has been nominated by the CCM to replace Nchimbi. His name will now be presented to parliament for approval.
An official inquiry into the election reported that violent protests following the vote led to the deaths of at least 500 people, with opposition parties and human rights groups accusing security forces of a severe crackdown on anti-government demonstrators.