Tanzania’s Information Minister, Nape Nnauye, has been dismissed following public outrage over his remarks about election rigging. At a rally on July 15, Nnauye suggested that he would help a fellow ruling party MP win in the 2025 election, implying that election outcomes could be manipulated. His comments, which were caught on video, sparked widespread criticism.
Nnauye later claimed his remarks were made in jest, but President Samia Suluhu Hassan removed him from the cabinet on Sunday in a broader reshuffle. While the President did not specify reasons for his dismissal, the video also showed Nnauye boasting about his expertise in election tricks and mentioning the use of “legal, half-legal, and illegal” methods to secure victories.
Critics accused Nnauye of undermining electoral democracy. Despite his apology, where he professed belief in free and fair elections, the backlash persisted. Nnauye, who has served the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party since his youth, was first appointed as Information Minister by the late President John Magufuli and reappointed by President Samia in January 2022.
Nnauye will be succeeded by Jerry Slaa, former Land and Housing Development Minister. Additionally, Foreign Minister January Makamba was sacked, with Tanzania’s Ambassador to Italy, Mahmoud Thabiti Kombo, named as his replacement.
