In a surprise turn, Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has announced he won’t seek re-election in the October parliamentary elections, stepping down after nearly a decade in office. Just last week, the 64-year-old leader signaled he’d run again, making his withdrawal all the more unexpected and sparking speculation about discord within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. Despite this development, Majaliwa, who helped stabilize the government after President Magufuli’s death in 2021, will remain in the CCM as a senior party official and support President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election bid. Majaliwa’s exit follows the May retirement of Vice-President Philip Mpango, suggesting a broader political reshuffle. Experts speculate that the retirement of the two senior politicians will enable President Hassan to tighten her grip on the party.
BBC
