Tanzania’s Speaker of Parliament Job Ndugai resigns

Tanzania’s Speaker of Parliament Job Ndugai resigns. The Speaker of the National Assembly of the United Republic of Tanzania, Job Ndugai has on Thursday, January 6, resigned from the position following recent public fallout with President Hassan Samia Suluhu regarding the nation’s debt.

Ndugai in a statement said he had written to CCM’s Secretary-General, saying that it was a personal decision that had taken into account national interests.

He also said that a copy had been submitted to the National Assembly Clerk for the procedures of getting another speaker according to the constitution.

“ I take this opportunity to give my sincere gratitude to my fellow Members of Parliament, President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the whole government in general, Kongwa residents and all Tanzanians for the support you gave me for the time I was the Speaker of The National Assembly,” reads the part of the letter.

Ndugai who assumed the position on November 17, 2015, is the first Speaker to resign while in office in Tanzania history.

On Monday, Ndugai issued a public apology to President Samia Suluhu Hassan following claims he made earlier last week that Tanzania risks being auctioned due to rising national debt.

However, the apology was not accepted by the president.

Speaking on Tuesday, President Hassan, who doubles as the ruling CCM’s Chairperson while addressing her Cabinet ministers, regional commissioners as well as regional chairpersons of the ruling CCM on Tuesday said what was happening had everything to do with the next elections.

“That is what is going on. It is inconceivable that the head of one of the pillars of the State can stand up and say what he said. It all has everything to do with 2025,” President Hassan said.

Past speakers of the national assembly since independence

Adam Sapi Mkwawa                                   – November 27, 1962 – November 19, 1973
Erasto Andrew Mbwana Mang’enya       –November 20 1973 – November 5, 1975
Adam Sapi Mkwawa                                    November 6, 1975 –April 25, 1994
Pius Msekwa                                               – April 1994 – November 28, 2005
Samuel Sitta                                                – December 28, 2005 – 2010
Anne Makinda                                             –November 10, 2010 – November 16, 2015
Job Ndugai                                                       November 17, 2015 –January 6, 2022