Tanzania’s information minister, Nape Nnauye, has been dismissed from his position following backlash over remarks implying that elections could be manipulated.
At a rally on 15 July, Mr. Nnauye was recorded saying he would assist a fellow ruling party MP in winning the 2025 election, stating, “election results are not necessarily those in the [ballot box], rather they depend on the person counting and making announcements.”
After a video of his controversial comments went viral and sparked public outrage, Mr. Nnauye claimed he had made the remarks in jest.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan removed him from the cabinet on Sunday during a broader reshuffle, without providing specific reasons for the decision.
The video, filmed during Mr. Nnauye’s visit to Bukoba, also captured him boasting about his expertise in election tricks, mentioning he could use “legal, half-legal, and illegal” methods to ensure a win.
“All of them could be used provided after the conclusion you seek God’s forgiveness,” Mr Nnauye added.
Many Tanzanians criticized the former minister, arguing that his comments violated the principles of electoral democracy and disrespected the voters’ decisions.
In his apology, Mr. Nnauye stated he believed in “free and fair elections.”
Mr. Nnauye also faced criticism during the lead-up to the 2015 elections when he used a football analogy to suggest that the ruling CCM party would win by any means, even by scoring a “handball goal.”
CCM, short for Chama cha Mapinduzi, is one of the longest-reigning parties in Africa, having been in power since its formation in 1977.
Opposition leaders have accused it of winning recent elections through fraud and state repression. The electoral commission, however, denies that results are rigged.
According to a biography on the information ministry’s website, Mr. Nnauye has been serving CCM since his primary school days. He was first appointed as information minister by the late President John Magufuli but was removed in a reshuffle. President Samia reappointed Mr. Nnauye in January 2022.
Mr. Nnauye will now be replaced by former land and housing development minister Jerry Slaa. Additionally, Foreign Minister January Makamba has been dismissed, with Tanzania’s ambassador to Italy, Mahmoud Thabiti Kombo, named as his successor.