Dar es Salaam. Newly approved Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi has pledged loyalty to President Samia Suluhu Hassan and promised to serve Tanzanians regardless of their political affiliation.
Mr Ndejembi, 43, made the pledge on Friday, August 28, 2026 shortly after Parliament unanimously approved his appointment to succeed Emmanuel Nchimbi, who resigned from the position on August 25.
All 324 MPs who voted endorsed his appointment, with no votes against or spoilt ballots.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Ndejembi said his performance as Vice President would be judged not by his age but by his loyalty to President Hassan, integrity and ability to execute assignments entrusted to him.
“The weight of this responsibility will not be measured by my youth. It will be measured by my loyalty to the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, my integrity towards Tanzanians and how I execute the tasks assigned to me,” he said.
Mr Ndejembi said he understood that the Vice President’s office was a national responsibility and not one reserved for members of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
“I am not the Vice President of CCM members alone; I am the Vice President of Tanzanians from all political parties,” he said.
He pledged to support President Hassan in executing her duties and serve as a link between her and Tanzanians.
“I will strive, with great humility, to help the President of the United Republic of Tanzania serve as a link to all Tanzanians, according to her wishes, because I work under Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan,” he said.
Mr Ndejembi also thanked President Hassan for the confidence she had placed in him through a series of appointments that culminated in his elevation to the Vice Presidency.
He said President Hassan had previously appointed him to the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government; as Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Labour, Youth and Employment and People with Disabilities; Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development; and Minister for Energy.
He described his appointment as a major responsibility that required him to repay the President’s trust through loyalty and hard work.
“President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has entrusted me with respect and kindness, and I will repay her with respect and kindness by remaining loyal to her,” he said.
Mr Ndejembi also linked his elevation to CCM’s practice of nurturing young people for leadership, saying his political career had developed through the party’s structures before he took up various Government responsibilities.
He said he had served in CCM’s youth structures from 2008 and later became a member of the party’s National Executive Committee representing young people before serving as a district commissioner, MP, deputy minister and minister.
“This is an indication of how CCM nurtures young people, trusts young people and prepares young people to take up different responsibilities in this country,” he said.
The new Vice President thanked MPs for unanimously endorsing his appointment, saying the vote reflected confidence in both President Hassan’s decision and his ability to serve.
He pledged to repay that confidence by carrying out his responsibilities to the best of his ability.
“Parliament has entrusted me with its confidence through the votes I have received today, and I will repay that confidence by carrying out my responsibilities to the best of my ability,” he said.
Mr Ndejembi also thanked Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba for his mentorship and cooperation while he served in Cabinet, as well as ministers and deputy ministers with whom he worked.
He singled out Deputy Minister for Energy Salome Wycliffe Makamba for her support during his tenure at the Energy Ministry.
His elevation to the Vice Presidency leaves the Chamwino parliamentary seat vacant, paving the way for a by-election to fill the constituency’s seat in Parliament.
