Tanzania’s vice president resigns in test to the country’s democracy

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Tanzania’s vice president is resigning after less than a year in office, following what analysts say was a power struggle with the country’s first female leader.

Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi offered to vacate the office on Sept. 4, according to a statement released on Tuesday. The presidency confirmed that constitutional measures will be taken to select a new deputy to President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Nchimbi’s statement said he was “fully convinced” that Hassan desires another deputy. “I assure you that I will continue to be a good citizen of Tanzania,” it said.

His resignation is remarkable in a country known for its relative stability under the one-party rule of the Chama cha Mapinduzi party, or CCM.

Some analysts say he appeared to have disagreed with Hassan over governance and other issues stemming from the government’s brutal crackdown on street protests during and after the Oct. 29 election.

“The two were not on good terms,” said Tito Magoti, a rights attorney and independent analyst in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam.

A postelection inquiry showed 518 people were killed in the violence, shocking many at home and abroad. The military was deployed alongside the police to quell riots in major cities, with sporadic gunfire ringing out in the usually peaceful country that many foreigners visit for its pristine coastal beaches and safari tourism.

The internet was shut down for days, a move that Hassan later apologized for and promised would never happen again.

The leader of the commission that investigated election-related violence, Mohamed Chande Othman, said during the release of his report in April that the number of deaths was likely higher, because some families buried their loved ones without taking their bodies to morgues. He recommended an investigation into the use of firearms, as some of the witnesses told the commission that their loved ones were shot while sitting inside their houses.

Hassan, who has served as president since 2021, drew widespread anger for running virtually unopposed after her two main opponents were blocked or prevented from contesting. Her main rival, Tundu Lissu, is currently jailed over treason charges he says are politically motivated.

A version of CCM has ruled Tanzania since the country gained independence from Britain in 1961. CCM is fused with the state and effectively in charge of the security apparatus.

Hassan, who was formerly a vice president, became president without incident when her predecessor, John Pombe Magufuli, died suddenly after the start of his second term.

The orderly transition sustained Tanzania’s reputation as an oasis of political stability and relative peace, a major reason for CCM’s considerable support, especially among rural voters.

___ An Associated Press reporter in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, contributed to this report.

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