MINISTERIAL CHANGES IN TANZANIA: JANUARI MAKAMBA AND NAPE NNAUYE REMOVED AS DISCUSSION ON AUC CHAIRMANSHIP DOMINATES

 

By Humphrey Moris

During President Samia Suluhu Hassan's administration, one of the major changes that has sparked significant debate is the removal of January Makamba from the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation. This decision has had considerable impact and raises many questions regarding the reasons and objectives behind these changes.

On July 21, 2024, President Samia made several changes to her cabinet, including removing January Makamba and his deputy, Stephen Byabato, from the ministry. Nape Nnauye, who was the Minister of Information, Communication, and Information Technology, was also removed and his position was taken over by Jerry Silaa.

These changes have prompted discussions about why President Samia made this decision. Political analysts have pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a challenging position, which may explain why there have been four different ministers in the three-year period of President Samia's leadership.

The ministers were:

• Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi: Served as Minister of Foreign Affairs when President Samia took office in March 2021. Prof. Kabudi served until May 2021.
• Ambassador Liberata Mulamula: Appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in May 2021 and served until October 2022.
• Dr. Stergomena Tax: Appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in October 2022 and served until August 2023, before being appointed as Minister of Defense and National Service.
• January Makamba: Appointed in September 2023 and removed from office in July 2024.

There are various theories and arguments trying to explain the reasons for the removal of January Makamba and Nape Nnauye. While many have been removed from their positions, these two individuals have historically faced similar challenges and their removal may not necessarily be due to their personal shortcomings but rather political conflicts.

January Makamba January Makamba was a Deputy Minister in President Jakaya Kikwete’s government before being appointed Minister of Energy and Minerals by President John Magufuli following the 2015 election. However, his political career faced major challenges during President Magufuli’s administration.

On July 21, 2019, communications from January Makamba, along with other CCM leaders such as Abdulrahman Kinana and Yusuf Makamba, were leaked. These communications criticized President Magufuli and his administration. The discussions revealed criticisms of President Magufuli's leadership, which put January in a difficult political position.

Following the scandal, January Makamba was removed from the cabinet by President Magufuli.

Nape Nnauye Nape was Minister of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports from December 2015. In March 2017, he was dismissed from this position following a major conflict with Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda. The conflict arose when Makonda stormed the offices of Clouds Media Group with armed officers, forcing them to show reports they did not want to disclose.

Nape wanted Makonda to be held accountable for this abuse of power, but President Magufuli defended Makonda, leading to a clash between Nape and the President. Due to his stance on holding Makonda accountable, Nape was removed from the cabinet.

Restoration of Their Positions and President Samia After being removed by Magufuli, January Makamba and Nape Nnauye seemed to fade politically. However, following President Magufuli’s death and President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s rise to power, January and Nape were reinstated into the cabinet. Their appointments were seen as a move to restore leaders who had lost their positions due to conflicts with Magufuli.

This reinstatement had significant political implications as it indicated that President Samia was willing to give another chance to leaders who had lost their positions due to disagreements with her predecessor.

Sudden Removal Today There is a saying that no scholar or expert is satisfied without considering what others have said. We wonder what the real reason is for the removal of January Makamba. As for Nape Nnauye, it can be directly inferred that his remarks might be a reason. Nape stated that election results should not rely solely on ballot boxes, a statement that sparked intense debate online and within CCM. This statement was seen as having a negative impact on the party and government, giving opponents an opportunity to claim election fraud.

According to political analysts, Nape’s statements might be the main reason for his removal, with some viewing it as part of President Samia’s 4R philosophy (Reform, Rebranding, Realignment, and Reinvestment) to ensure her leaders meet high standards of integrity and accountability.

What Was the Reason for January’s Removal? Deus Kibamba, a lecturer at the Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim International Centre for International Relations, states that this ministry is challenging not only for Tanzania but also for other countries. This is due to its importance in coordinating foreign trips for government leaders and international relations in general.

Kibamba added that foreign ministers need to be adept at using technology for international meetings and negotiations without frequent travel, and another challenge is ensuring the ministry operates efficiently and benefits the nation. Kibamba notes that foreign ministers should be able to find domestic solutions through technology and have robust plans to attract foreign investment rather than relying on loans.

Dr. Revocatus Kabobe, a lecturer at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), noted that President Samia may not have found the right person to lead the ministry, and that the appointed ministers have not succeeded in interpreting her vision effectively.

Quoting experts and veterans in political analysis directly suggests that January Makamba was not suited for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, from a young, fresh perspective and as a young professional with an international outlook, I propose we focus more on the African Union (AU) issue.

PRESIDENT SAMIA, JANUARI MAKAMBA, AND FAUSTINE NDUGULILE - AU In recognition of his significant contribution to the health sector, President Samia Suluhu Hassan endorsed Dr. Faustine Ndugulile to run for the position of Regional Director for Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO). This nomination signifies Tanzania’s intention to actively participate in global health leadership and bring about significant changes in Africa through WHO.

Following Dr. Ndugulile’s nomination, Minister of Foreign Affairs January Makamba began campaigning for him in international forums. At the African Union General Assembly meeting held in Accra, Ghana, January Makamba participated in discussions with foreign ministers from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Burundi, urging them to vote for Tanzania. Through his Twitter account, January wrote:

"I am in Accra, Ghana, for the African Union General Assembly meeting where we will discuss crucial agendas for our union’s future. Together with the Foreign Ministers of Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Burundi, we are seeking votes for Dr. Faustine, our candidate for the Regional Director for Africa at WHO."

This information was well received by citizens and various African leaders, with many Kenyans expressing their approval of January as a capable leader for the position of AU Commission Chairperson (AUC).

AUC CHAIRPERSON CANDIDATES The position of AU Commission Chairperson (AUC) is currently contested by three main candidates: Raila Odinga from Kenya, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf from Djibouti, and Fawzia Adam from Somalia.

1. Raila Odinga, the opposition leader in Kenya, has officially declared his intention to run for this position. Raila has begun campaigning to persuade the 55 member states of the African Union to support him.
2. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, has also announced his candidacy for the position. Djibouti supports Youssouf due to his extensive experience in diplomacy.
3. Fawzia Adam, former Foreign Minister of Somalia, is the third candidate in this race. Somalia has received AU support to continue campaigning for the upcoming election.

These three candidates are seeking support from their countries and various regions across Africa to secure this important position.

Initially, it seemed that Tanzania was supportive of Raila Odinga becoming the AUC Chairperson. However, many Kenyans' responses to January Makamba’s posts showed that they were tired of older leaders and wanted fresh blood. At the same time, due to turmoil in Kenya, many believe that an outsider might be better suited to help resolve the situation, as a local candidate might perpetuate conflicts and chaos.

Thus, I see that January Makamba might have shown interest in contesting for the AUC Chairperson position, although by the end of this article, I have not confirmed this. If you believe that any part of this is confirmed, it’s best to stop reading early.

Dr. Faustine Ndugulile’s campaign faced many challenges. In reports on social media and media outlets like The Eastleigh Voice, it was indicated that January Makamba was seen as a threat to Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the AUC Chairperson. Meanwhile, rumors spread that Tanzania was considering nominating Makamba for the position.

However, January emphasized the importance of African unity and Tanzania’s goals in working with other East African countries to ensure the best candidate is chosen for the AUC. Speaking about the Accra meeting, January said:

"Tanzania is focused on East African unity and we will collectively decide on the best candidate for the AUC Chairperson through the agreement of member states."

 

 

Recommendations and Conclusion

Recommendations for Appointing January Makamba to the Position of AUC Chairperson
The proposal to nominate January Makamba for the position of African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson was supported by various African youth leadership groups such as Tutu Leadership Fellows and African Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum. They wrote a letter to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, emphasizing January's qualities as an innovative and strong leader, which are needed to bring about reforms within the AUC.

In their letter, they highlighted three main points:

1. Belief in African unity as a source of strength.
2. The importance of the African Union as a tool to advance that unity and bring pride to Africans.
3. The need for effective leadership of the African continent to achieve unity and prosperity for its people.

Removal of January Makamba from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The end of this journey came when President Samia Suluhu Hassan officially removed January Makamba from her cabinet. This action suggests that President Samia intended to free Makamba to fully participate in the campaign for the AUC Chairperson position. Through social media, this decision has been met with mixed feelings; some expressing great hope, while others caution about potential challenges that might arise.

These changes have significant implications for Tanzania's diplomatic future. The removal of January Makamba might be aimed at preparing him for a higher role in international politics, while President Samia seeks a more suitable person to align with her vision for the sensitive ministry.

Additionally, Dr. Faustine Ndugulile's candidacy for the WHO Regional Director for Africa and January Makamba's campaign for the AUC Chairperson position signify Tanzania's intent to actively participate in global leadership and bring about significant changes in Africa. This is a crucial step that could transform the country's and the continent's image in health and leadership spheres.

Unresolved Questions:

• Has the removal of January Makamba been aimed at preparing him for the AUC Chairperson position?
• Has his departure been caused by political conflicts similar to those experienced during President Magufuli's administration?
• Is his removal part of a political strategy to allow these young leaders to freely prepare for the 2025 elections?
• Has January Makamba in the international arena made decisions without good collaboration with his senior leaders? Initially, Tanzania was thought to support Odinga, and is the idea of running for the AUC Chairperson position solely Makamba's, or is it a government (national) idea?
• Or is it due to poor performance, prompting President Samia to reshuffle her cabinet and find individuals she believes will align with her intended path?