DODOMA. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan ,who won the disputed October 29 polls , has named Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, her long-serving former Finance Minister, as Tanzania’s new Prime Minister.
The appointment, already ratified by Parliament in a near-unanimous vote on Thursday, 2025, comes just weeks after Hassan’s landslide victory in the controversial October 29 presidential poll, which opposition forces decried as rigged. Over 500 people reportedly died during the post-election protests around Tanzania.
Dr. Nchemba, 51, steps into the role as a trusted ally of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has dominated Tanzanian since independence in 1961 . A seasoned economist and parliamentarian since 2010, Nchemba’s career trajectory underscores his loyalty to the CCM establishment. He first rose to prominence as deputy secretary-general of the party before entering government service under the late President John Pombe Magufuli in 2015.
He was Minister of Agriculture from 2017 to 2020 and later transitioned to Finance Minister in 2020, a post he held until reshuffles under Hassan in 2021. Despite frequent cabinet overhauls since Hassan assumed power following Magufuli’s death that year, Nchemba retained key roles, including stints at Natural Resources and Tourism.
Addressing lawmakers at the Parliament Buildings in Dodoma shortly after his swearing-in, Nchemba pledged unwavering commitment.
“I would work diligently in my new post,” he declared, vowing to prioritize economic stability and infrastructure development amid global headwinds.
Tanzania projects a 6 percent GDP growth this year, fueled by ambitious projects in roads, railways, and power generation. However, the East African nation faces donor aid cuts—from the United States and others—due to human rights concerns. The 2026/2026 budget is projected to swell by 12 percent, testing Nchemba’s fiscal acumen experienced during his finance tenure, when he navigated COVID-19 recovery and debt restructuring.
Opposition leaders view Nchemba’s elevation as a consolidation of CCM power, potentially deepening divisions in a nation long praised for stability but increasingly scrutinized for authoritarian drifts under Magufuli and now Suluhu.