Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has dismissed two senior ministers, including the foreign ministry head, in a mini-cabinet reshuffle. This comes ahead of next year’s national elections, with the information minister recently involved in a controversial viral video.
The presidency announced that Mahmoud Thabit Kombo is now the new foreign minister, replacing January Makamba. Jerry Silaa has taken over as Minister for Information, Communications, and IT, succeeding Nape Nnauye, the statement said. No reasons for the dismissals were provided.
A viral video showed Nnauye saying, “Winning in elections is not always determined by the number of votes in the ballot box but depends on who counts and announces the results.” This sparked criticism from both the opposition and the ruling party, leading to his dismissal.
Nnauye apologized for the remarks, claiming they were a joke taken out of context. However, opposition politician John Mnyika suggested the statement hinted at government and ruling party plans, fueling further speculation about the 2025 election.
President Hassan, who took office in 2021 after John Magafuli’s death, is expected to contest the upcoming election. She has implemented political reforms since taking office, distancing herself from Magafuli’s authoritarian policies and easing restrictions on the media and opposition.
