The final member of a dynamic trio, Samia’s deputy at CCM, leaving indicates an intriguing season

Following the removal of two party veterans from the cabinet on July 29, Samia Suluhu Hassan’s deputy from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) signaled substantial changes in Tanzania’s leadership ranks ahead of the next elections.

Political heavyweight Abdulrahman Kinana announced his resignation as vice chairman of the ruling party, blaming “fatigue” for his desire for a break.

The CCM announced late on Monday that Kinana’s desire to step down had been accepted “with a heavy heart” by the party’s leader, President Samia.

His exit occurs a little more than a week after she dismissed two prominent cabinet members who, together with Kinana, helped her predecessor John Magufuli overcome fierce opposition candidate Edward Lowassa in the 2015 presidential contest.

In a brief cabinet change on July 21, Samia fired Foreign Minister January Makamba and Information Minister Nape Nnauye, seemingly signaling the beginning of a period of suspense as she gets ready to run for reelection next year.

It is believed that Makamba and Nnauye were removed from consideration because of concerns expressed about their allegiance to the president and her style of leadership in advance of Tanzania’s municipal elections later this year, which would serve as a prelude to the general election in 2025.

As Samia’s deputy in the party hierarchy and the vice chairperson for CCM for mainland Tanzania, Kinana, who turns 73 in October, has held both positions since April 2022.

Pundits have unavoidably connected the three exits to a power struggle at the top of Samia’s administration, which seems to be intensifying in the run-up to the 2025 and 2030 presidential elections.

A seasoned political insider in the complex political environment of CCM, Kinana was the party’s secretary-general until resigning in 2018 due to disagreements with President Magufuli.

Magufuli removed Makamba and Nnauye from his cabinet at the same time as this occurred, which begs the issue of why the three strategists behind his unsuccessful 2015 presidential campaign were abruptly sidelined.

After Samia assumed the presidency in the wake of Magufuli’s death in 2021, they were all elevated to high political posts once again.

However, Amos Makala, the CCM’s secretary for publicity and ideology, claimed in a statement released on Monday night that Kinana’s decision to step down this time was unrelated to the most recent cabinet purge.

President Samia was described in the statement as stating that he had requested a brief tenure as her deputy from the start.

It’s true that I told you that you would only serve as vice chair for a short while when I asked you to assist us in that capacity. With a heavy heart, I must accept your resignation. I would have really preferred that you stay, but you have persisted, and a promise is a debt,” she added.

Having been promoted from vice president to president by constitutional decree to take over for the late Magufuli, Samia will stand for election for the first time in 2025.

As the election draws near, many predict further changes inside the party and government.

During her tenure as vice chairman, Kinana led CCM’s maridhiano (reconciliation) talks with Chadema, the main opposition party. However, these failed to produce an accord, with each side blaming the other for the breakdown. The talks ended in mid-2023.