Tanzania’s Prime Minister Steps Aside Ahead of National Elections

On Wednesday, July 2, 2025, Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced that he will not seek re-election in October’s parliamentary polls, a move that ends his decade-long tenure and rules him out of returning as head of government business in parliament.

Majaliwa, who had earlier declared plans to defend his parliamentary seat in Ruangwa for a fourth term, reversed course in a surprise statement. “It is time to give others the opportunity to unite and build on the development foundation we’ve established,” he said, adding that his decision was guided by God and made “in good faith.”

The 64-year-old was appointed prime minister in 2015 under former President John Magufuli and retained the position under President Samia Suluhu Hassan following Magufuli’s death in 2021. His calm leadership during the transition earned him a reputation as a stabilizing figure within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.

Majaliwa’s announcement comes just two months after Vice-President Philip Mpango also declared his retirement from politics, raising speculation that President Samia is reshaping her inner circle ahead of a likely re-election campaign. Analysts say the withdrawal of both officials could reflect efforts to achieve regional and religious balance in government, as both Samia and Majaliwa are Muslims in a majority-Christian country.

Despite stepping back from elective politics, Majaliwa will remain a senior figure within CCM and pledged his support for President Samia’s re-election bid.

Meanwhile, the political climate remains tense. The opposition party Chadema has been barred from participating in the elections after rejecting a mandatory code of ethics, citing concerns over electoral transparency. Its leader, Tundu Lissu, is facing treason charges and remains in custody.

Allegations of a poisoning plot targeting Lissu surfaced this week, prompting a swift denial from the government. “The Tanzanian authorities have never had any plan to poison any individual in custody,” said government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa, who warned of legal consequences for spreading what he called false claims.

Rights groups have voiced concern over growing restrictions on the opposition and media. While President Samia initially drew praise for loosening the controls imposed during Magufuli’s tenure, critics say the space for dissent is once again shrinking.

Tanzania is set to hold both parliamentary and presidential elections later this year. The CCM, in power since 1977, is expected to retain its grip on government.