Tanzania’s resigning vice president expelled from the governing party, deepening test to democracy

Tanzania's governing party has expelled Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi following his resignation, deepening challenges for the country's nascent democracy. The Democratic Movement party sidelined Nchimbi due to his alleged indiscipline, appointing Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi as the president's deputy instead. This move comes in the aftermath of President Samia Suluhu Hassan's controversial election in October, which saw security forces deployed to quell riots sparked by the disqualification of her main rivals.

During the election, the internet was shut down for several days, a decision Hassan later apologized for and vowed would not be repeated. Hassan's main rival, Tundu Lissu, remains in jail on treason charges he claims are politically motivated. Nchimbi's resignation, effective from September 4th, has stunned many Tanzanians, who value stability in a country under the one-party rule of CCM.

Some experts suggest Nchimbi may have disagreed with the president over issues stemming from the government's harsh response to protests during and after the October 29th election. Preliminary findings from a post-election inquiry revealed that 518 individuals lost their lives amid the ensuing violence. Mohamed Chande Othman, the head of the commission investigating the violence, later revealed that the actual death toll could be higher, as some families buried their loved ones without registering the deaths.

The commission recommended an investigation into the use of firearms, as witnesses testified that their relatives were shot while indoors. Tanzania's ruling party, the Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has governed the country since gaining independence from Britain in 1961, closely intertwined with the state and tasked with managing the security apparatus. New leaders typically emerge every five to ten years.