Who’s next in Magufuli’s crosshairs?

Dar es Salaam. For months now, there has been talk of an impending cabinet reshuffle, with the name of Nape Nnauye, cropping up among several other members of the cabinet.

Yesterday’s sacking of Mr Nnauye thus vindicates the claims, but begs the question. Who will be next? Hushed up exchanges among the political had it that at least three other ministers were on the chop list. Nothing obvious is, however, publicly apparent why the said ministers were hanging by the thread. Other than Mr Nnauye, whose dropping was seen coming over his recent outspokenness, including investigating a regional commissioner, who had been publicly defended by the President, the fate of the other ministers is a matter of conjecture.

Mr Nnauye has been axed a day after receiving a report indicting Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda criminally stormed into Clouds Media Group offices and terrorised its staff on Friday night last week.

President Magufuli is no stranger in publicly overturning decisions by his cabinet members, one of the reasons touted as a sign of no confidence on those he had reversed their decisions. The President has also shown disquiet among the ministers he warned would have to give the way for not matching his speed or do not espouse his views strongly.

Last week, Mr Nnauye’s successor at the information docket, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, was embarrassed after the President overturned his orders on the use of birth certificates as an entry into marriage.

Dr Mwakyembe, who was moved from the Constitutional and Legal Affairs docket ate humble pie, when the President overruled his orders that all those, who intended to marry should first show their birth certificates. He said the minister had acted without informing him. Dr Mwakyembe also suffered bluff, when his promise for a restart of the constitution-writing process was dimmed, when Dr Magufuli said the new Constitution was not his priority. Despite that, Dr Mwakyembe is, however, safe and will today be sworn in as the new Information minister. The other times that the President has publicly expressed displeasure with his ministers during his recent tour of Lindi and Mtwara include his Water minister Gerson Lwenge who survived his wrath over a stalled water project.