Tanzania’s Speaker of Parliament Job Ndugai resigns

The Speaker of National Assembly, Job Ndugai has on Thursday January 6, resigned from the position following recent public fallout with President 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 which 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 the constitution.

“ I take this opportunity to give my sincerely gratitude to my fellow member of parliaments, 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 the Speaker to resign while in office in the 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