Magufuli’s finance minister will be Tanzania’s next VP

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has nominated current finance minister Philip Mpango as vice president and seen her decision confirmed by parliament in a unanimous vote. Mpango will be sworn in tomorrow (31 March). The decision is suggestive of further continuity. Mpango had been finance minister in the late president John Magufuli’s cabinet from the outset in 2015 and was a key figure in the government’s talks over resource control with mining firms such as Barrick Gold.

Significance – Balancing the power dynamic

Suluhu took office earlier this month promising to continue in Magufuli’s footsteps, and has so far made no other changes to the cabinet she inherited from him. Choosing her VP from the pre-existing cabinet also demonstrates her commitment to Magufuli’s statist economic agenda.

Suluhu was constitutionally required to consult the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) before choosing a vice-president (VP) and it was ultimately the party’s choice given its almost absolute control over state institutions. CCM holds nearly all elective seats in parliament whereas Suluhu’s prominence within the party was mid-level before her rise to the presidency.

Mpango had stiff competition for the VP position from more influential CCM politicians such as foreign affairs minister Palamagamba Kabudi. The eventual outcome indicates that CCM is balancing the power dynamic in Suluhu’s favour (Note: Suluhu is eligible to run for one more term in 2025).

This is also evidenced by the party’s recent resolution to elect Suluhu as its next chairperson, continuing a tradition that all past presidents since Julius Nyerere have simultaneously headed the party.

Outlook – Policy continuity and maintenance of baseline political risk scenarios 

We expect significantly firm leadership from Suluhu, who has just suspended the head of the ports authority for alleged corruption.

Overall, the ongoing transition will progress smoothly with little disruption regarding the assignment of roles within the administration.

Policymaking from the Magufuli era will largely be carried over – for instance, on cutting sugar imports and facilitating oil and gas development alongside Uganda.

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Photo Credit: Samia Suluhu Hassan. Gospel Kitta, CC

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