Tanzania’s ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has expelled former Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi just a day after he announced his resignation from government.
At the same time, the party has picked Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi as its preferred candidate to replace him as Vice President.
The decisions were made during an emergency meeting of the CCM leadership in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, August 26. The meeting was chaired by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
According to The Citizen, both the party’s Central Committee and National Executive Committee (NEC) met to discuss Nchimbi’s case.
CCM Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro later announced that the party had decided to expel Nchimbi after finding that he had broken its rules.
“The NEC has held its meeting to discuss disciplinary action on Emmanuel Nchimbi and, after reviewing all the evidence and statements available, has decided and reached a conclusion that CCM’s rules and laws were flouted. As a result, Nchimbi has been removed from the party,” Migiro said.
The party did not immediately provide further details about the specific rules Nchimbi was found to have violated.
His expulsion came barely a day after he announced that he would leave his position as Vice President and retire from politics and public service.
Nchimbi, 54, submitted his resignation to President Samia on Tuesday, saying it would take effect on September 4, 2026.
President Samia accepted his resignation.
In his statement, Nchimbi said he had come to believe that the President wanted someone else in the position and had decided to step aside.
“I have become convinced beyond doubt that the President wants change, and I have therefore decided to fulfil my promise,” he said.
Nchimbi previously stated that he promised President Samia that he will serve with integrity and will leave his position if she decides at any time to appoint somebody else as her Vice President.
Before his appointment as Vice President, Nchimbi had been in a number of high ranking positions in Tanzania’s government.
He became CCM Secretary-General in January 2024, besides serving as a Cabinet minister and as Tanzania’s ambassador to Brazil and Egypt.
With Nchimbi now out of government and the ruling party, CCM has moved quickly to settle on a possible replacement.
The party endorsed Ndejembi, who currently serves as Energy Minister, for the Vice President’s position.
His nomination will now go through the process provided for under Tanzanian law before he can formally take over the office.
The developments mark a dramatic turn of events for Nchimbi, whose resignation was announced on Tuesday and was followed by his removal from CCM less than 24 hours later.