President Samia Suluhu Hassan has nominated former Finance Minister Mwigulu Nchemba as Tanzania’s new Prime Minister, in a move seen as part of efforts to consolidate power following a fiercely contested and violent election. Parliament is expected to vote on the nomination Thursday, where approval is widely anticipated given the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party’s overwhelming majority. Nchemba, 48, a trained economist and long-serving CCM loyalist, previously served as Minister of Finance and Planning and held other key cabinet roles under former presidents John Magufuli and Jakaya Kikwete. He is known for his conservative fiscal approach and close ties to the presidency.
The appointment follows Hassan’s controversial re-election in October, in which she secured 97 percent of the vote amid widespread opposition boycotts and allegations of vote rigging and ballot manipulation. Observers from the African Union (AU) and East African Community (EAC) reported irregularities, including restricted access for opposition agents at polling stations. Violent protests erupted nationwide before and after the election, with demonstrators demanding transparency and political reforms. According to United Nations reports, several hundred people were killed, while opposition party CHADEMA claimed the death toll exceeded 1,000, accusing security forces of using live ammunition against civilians.
The Tanzanian government has disputed those figures, insisting the unrest was contained and that only “isolated incidents” of violence occurred, though it has yet to release an official death toll. President Hassan, who has faced mounting international criticism over human rights abuses, restrictions on media freedom, and suppression of dissent since taking power in 2021, has defended the security crackdown as necessary to maintain order. If confirmed, Nchemba will be tasked with restoring public confidence, rebuilding Tanzania’s international image, and reviving a struggling economy weighed down by inflation and reduced foreign investment following months of political instability.
