DODOMA, Aug 26 –Tanzania Vice President Emmanuel John Nchimbi has resigned less than a year into office, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan accepting his resignation, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Nchimbi will leave office on September 4 after serving as vice president since November last year. The government did not give a reason for his resignation.
A statement shared by the spokesperson on X said constitutional procedures would begin to appoint a new vice president of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Before becoming vice president, Nchimbi served as secretary general of the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
His resignation comes after he faced criticism from some members of the ruling party over comments he made last month at an event hosted by a rights group. During the event, Nchimbi said he would encourage Tanzanians to push for a new constitution.
He said Tanzania needed a constitution that would support development beyond material and economic progress, including the dignity and human worth of everyone living in the country.
Nchimbi made the comments in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial capital.
His departure also comes less than a year after Hassan won last year’s presidential election with nearly 98% of the vote. The election was followed by deadly unrest after leading opposition candidates were excluded from the contest.
A government-appointed inquiry panel said at least 518 people were killed during the violence.
The resignation adds another change to Tanzania’s political leadership as the government continues to face scrutiny over last year’s election and the events that followed.
