Nchimbi says he believes President Samia Suluhu Hassan wants a change in the country’s second-highest office and will retire from politics and public service.

Dodoma, Tanzania (Running Africa) — Tanzania’s Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi has announced his resignation from office, bringing his brief tenure to an unexpected end less than a year after becoming President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s deputy.

Nchimbi said on Tuesday that he had formally submitted his resignation to President Hassan and would also withdraw from active politics and public service.

His resignation will take effect on September 4, 2026, creating a vacancy at the top of Tanzania’s government and immediately shifting attention towards who President Hassan will choose as the country’s next vice president.

Emmanuel Nchimbi Resigns as Tanzania Vice President

In his resignation statement, Nchimbi said he had become convinced that President Hassan wanted to appoint someone else to the vice presidency.

He said his decision was also in keeping with a commitment he made to Hassan in August 2025, when he promised to step aside if she ever decided another person was needed in the role.

Nchimbi did not indicate that he intended to seek another government or political position.

Instead, he said his departure would extend beyond the vice presidency to active politics and public service, potentially ending a lengthy career within Tanzania’s political establishment.

Nchimbi to Leave Office on September 4

Although announced on Tuesday, Nchimbi’s resignation will formally take effect on September 4, 2026.

His departure comes less than a year after he assumed the vice presidency following Tanzania’s 2025 general election.

Nchimbi had been selected as Hassan’s running mate, placing the veteran politician at the center of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) government.

His relatively short period in office makes the resignation a significant and unexpected change within Hassan’s administration.

Nchimbi Says President Hassan Wanted Different Vice President

Nchimbi directly addressed his relationship with the president in explaining his decision.

He said he had concluded that Hassan wanted a different person to serve as her deputy and was therefore honoring his previous commitment to step aside.

The statement places the president’s preference at the center of his departure, although Hassan has yet to publicly announce who she intends to nominate as Nchimbi’s successor.

The transition will be closely watched for indications of how the president intends to reshape her administration following the resignation.

Who Is Emmanuel Nchimbi?

Nchimbi is a longtime figure within Tanzania’s ruling CCM and has held several senior political, government and diplomatic positions.

Before becoming vice president, he served as a cabinet minister, Tanzania’s ambassador to Brazil and Egypt, and CCM secretary-general.

His selection as Hassan’s running mate for the 2025 election represented another major step in a political career spanning multiple roles within both the party and government.

His decision to leave politics altogether now marks a significant departure for one of CCM’s most experienced senior figures.

Who Will Replace Emmanuel Nchimbi as Tanzania Vice President?

Nchimbi’s resignation creates a vacancy that can be filled under Tanzania’s constitutional framework, putting the next move in President Hassan’s hands.

Attention will now focus on who she selects and what that appointment could signal about the political direction of her administration.

The choice could also carry significance within CCM, where senior appointments can reflect wider political calculations and relationships within the ruling party.

Until Hassan announces a successor, speculation over Tanzania’s next vice president is likely to dominate political discussion.

Nchimbi’s departure represents an unusually abrupt change at the highest levels of the Tanzanian government, and with his resignation taking effect on September 4, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s choice of a new vice president will now become the next major political development to watch.