CCM Expels Former Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi, Endorses Deogratius Ndejembi as Successor

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — Tanzania’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has expelled former Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi from the party, just a day after he announced his resignation from the country’s second-highest office.

CCM Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro announced the decision following an emergency meeting of the party’s leadership in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday. She said the National Executive Committee had unanimously agreed to terminate Nchimbi’s membership over conduct the party said violated its rules on discipline and ethics.

“By unanimous decision, the National Executive Committee of Chama Cha Mapinduzi passed the decision that, due to conduct violating our rules regarding discipline and ethics, Comrade Nchimbi is expelled from party membership in accordance with our regulations,” Migiro said.

The expulsion marks a dramatic end to Nchimbi’s latest chapter in Tanzania’s ruling party, which he had previously served as Secretary-General.

Nchimbi Resigned as Vice President

Nchimbi announced his resignation on Tuesday, August 25, saying he would also retire from active politics and public service. His resignation is set to take effect on September 4, 2026, after President Samia Suluhu Hassan accepted his request.

In his resignation statement, Nchimbi said he was fulfilling a commitment he had made to President Hassan before taking office.

“I also assured her that whenever she sees the need for another Vice President, I will vacate the position,” he said, adding that he was convinced the President wanted a change and that he had therefore decided to honour his promise.

His departure followed weeks of reports of tensions between him and President Hassan. Reuters reported that Nchimbi had recently attracted attention within CCM after advocating for constitutional reform at a human-rights event in Dar es Salaam.

Ndejembi Backed for Vice Presidency

CCM has moved quickly to identify Nchimbi’s proposed successor, endorsing Energy Minister Deogratius John Ndejembi for the Vice Presidency.

Ndejembi, who is also the CCM member of Parliament for Chamwino, was unanimously endorsed by the party’s National Executive Committee, according to Migiro.

His nomination is still subject to the constitutional process required for the appointment of a new Vice President. Under Tanzania’s constitutional framework, the President is expected to present the nominee to Parliament for approval before the appointment is completed.

A Long Political Career

Nchimbi, 54, has been a prominent figure in Tanzanian politics for decades. He entered active politics through CCM’s youth wing, UVCCM, and became its chairman in 1998 while working at the National Environment Management Council.

He was elected Member of Parliament for Songea Town in 2005 after winning 67.6 per cent of the vote. In 2006, then-President Jakaya Kikwete appointed him Deputy Minister for Information, Culture and Sports.

Nchimbi subsequently held several senior government positions, including Deputy Minister for Labour, Employment and Youth Development and Deputy Minister for Defence and National Service.

He later served as Minister for Information, Culture and Sports before becoming Minister for Home Affairs, a position he held from May 2012 to December 2013.

Nchimbi eventually returned to the centre of national politics as CCM Secretary-General and was selected as President Hassan’s running mate in the 2025 general election. He became Vice President on November 3, 2025, serving less than a year before announcing his resignation.

A Rapid Political Transition

The sequence of events Nchimbi’s resignation, his subsequent expulsion from CCM and the party’s endorsement of Ndejembi represents a rapid change at the top of Tanzania’s political leadership.

While Nchimbi publicly framed his resignation as a decision to honour his commitment to President Hassan, CCM has separately cited violations of party discipline and ethics as the basis for terminating his membership. The party has not publicly detailed the specific conduct it considered to have breached its rules.

Ndejembi now faces the final constitutional steps before he can formally assume the Vice Presidency, while Nchimbi prepares to leave both government and active politics after a career spanning more than two decades.