Questions have been raised over the whereabouts of Tanzania’s former Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi, days after he resigned from office.
Former Prime Minister Joseph Warioba said he has been unable to reach Nchimbi since speaking to him shortly after his resignation was announced.
Warioba raised the concern on Friday, August 28, during the Tanzania Democracy Forum organised by the Tanganyika Law Society.
Nchimbi announced his resignation on Tuesday, August 25, saying he would leave office on September 4. He also said he was retiring from politics and public service.
Warioba said he spoke to Nchimbi after learning about the resignation and confirmed that the former Vice President had told him the decision was genuine.
“I was speaking to Nchimbi, after I found out about his resignation, and I was told by him that it was true. I wanted to know how the president reacted to it and he told me that he didn’t hear anything from him,” Warioba explained.
Later, he was informed that President Samia Suluhu Hassan has accepted Nchimbi’s resignation.
“I made several calls to him again after I received information regarding his expulsion but he was not answering my calls,” Warioba said.
This was following the expulsion of Nchimbi from the governing party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), according to their official announcement made on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
“Since he left [the party] on Wednesday August 26, 2026, when I read in the statement from the Secretary-General that the party had decided to expel him, I tried to call his phone but there was no response,” Warioba said.
Nchimbi has not made a public appearance since announcing his resignation on August 25. He has also not posted on social media or attended any public event.
His whereabouts have not been officially disclosed.
There have, however, been claims circulating on social media that Nchimbi’s phones were confiscated and that he was being held incommunicado.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Tanzanian media personality and Mwanzo TV founder Maria Sarungi also claimed that Nchimbi was under house arrest and that his devices had been confiscated.
She further alleged that the government was considering charging him with treason.
There was no official confirmation of the claims by the time of publication.
The Tanzania Police Force and the office of President Samia had also not responded to questions concerning Nchimbi’s whereabouts.
The developments came as Tanzania moved quickly to replace Nchimbi as Vice President.
On Friday, Parliament unanimously approved Deogratius Ndejembi as the new Vice President.
All 324 MPs who took part in the vote supported his nomination. There were no votes against and no spoilt ballots.
President Samia nominated Ndejembi, who is the Minister for Energy and MP for Chamwino, to take over the position following Nchimbi’s resignation.
