In a mini-cabinet reshuffle, Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has sacked the foreign and information ministers, her office said.
According to the presidency, the changes came as Hassan sought to regain the trust of foreign powers over a programme of economic and political reforms, including easing restrictions on opposition parties and media, that some critics had seen as faltering.
The presidency announced late on Sunday that Hassan terminated the appointments of the minister of foreign affairs and East Africa cooperation, January Makamba, and the minister of information, communication and information technology, Nape Nnauye.
They are influential figures in the ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
No reason was given for their removal. Makamba and Nnauye did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
The dismissal of Nnauye comes a week after comments he made surfaced in a video, saying election results would depend on who counts votes and announces the results.
Nnauye later apologised, saying it was a joke, but activists and some social media users said the statement undermined Hassan’s push to improve democracy.
Hassan appointed Mahmoud Thabit Kombo as the new foreign affairs minister and Jerry Silaa as minister of information, communication and information technology.
Before Kombo’s appointment, he was Tanzania’s ambassador to Italy while Silaa was the minister of lands, housing and human settlements development. Two more ministers and deputy ministers were also appointed, the presidency said.
