Tanzania’s Vice President, Dr Emmanuel John Nchimbi, has resigned from office and announced his retirement from active politics and public service, less than a year after assuming the country’s second-highest political office.
Nchimbi formally communicated his decision to President Samia Suluhu Hassan in a letter dated August 25, 2026, with his resignation set to take effect on September 4, according to a public notice issued by the Office of the Vice President in Dodoma.
In his resignation notice, Nchimbi cited Article 50(2)(c), read together with Article 149(2) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, as the legal basis for his departure.
He said his decision was linked to a commitment he made to President Hassan in August 2025 when he pledged to serve her and the country faithfully and to leave office whenever she felt the need for a different Vice President.
“I am fully satisfied, without any doubt, that Her Excellency the President desires change, and thus I have decided to fulfil my promise,” Nchimbi said in the notice.
The resignation means President Hassan will be able to initiate the constitutional process of appointing a new Vice President to fill the vacancy.
Nchimbi, who took office in November 2025 after succeeding the late Philip Mpango, has served in several senior government and diplomatic positions. He previously served as Tanzania’s ambassador to Egypt and Brazil, as well as Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Information, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs.
His departure marks an unusual development in Tanzania’s political history, coming less than a year into his tenure as Vice President. The EastAfrican reported that Nchimbi is the first Tanzanian Vice President to voluntarily relinquish the office while still serving.
In his farewell message, Nchimbi thanked Tanzanians for their cooperation throughout his years in public service and said he would continue to serve as a good citizen of Tanzania.
The resignation also comes amid heightened attention to Tanzania’s political environment following last year’s general elections and recent debates over constitutional and political reforms.
The immediate question now is who President Hassan will select to become Tanzania’s next Vice President as Nchimbi prepares to leave office on September 4.
