Everything looks real that Ambassador Polepole has resigned in a missive where rage, frustration and rebuttal of CCM misrule was stated as reasons why he had resigned.
The problem was the character and the spirit of the Ambassador Polepole was lacuna. It wasn’t the fierce Polepole we have come to know and respect. However, until the government clarifies over this saga or Polepole does so, we may have to desist to make any meaningful conclusion.
What was in the letter?
Here’s the complete English translation of the news report and Ambassador Humphrey Polepole’s resignation letter:
News Report Translation:
> Tanzania’s Ambassador to Cuba, Humphrey Polepole, has written to President Samia Suluhu Hassan announcing his resignation from his position representing Tanzania in Cuba, the Caribbean region, Central America, and the friendly nations of Colombia, Venezuela, and Guyana.
> In his letter, Polepole stated his decision to resign is due to “a leadership direction lacking firm commitment” to safeguard human rights, peace, and respect for citizens.
> Additionally, he expressed dissatisfaction with “the lack of genuine commitment to accountability” and addressing citizens’ challenges, alongside “a decline in leadership ethics”.
> He emphasized he could no longer be part of a leadership that is unresponsive and non-compliant with the constitutional principles of the nation and the ruling party (CCM), justice, ethics, humanity, and accountability to citizens.
> Polepole previously served as a Member of Parliament (November 2020 – March 2022), Ambassador to Malawi (March 2022 – April 2023), and Ambassador to Cuba (April 2023 – July 2025).
Resignation Letter English Translation:
“SUBJECT: RESIGNATION FROM AMBASSADORIAL AND PUBLIC LEADERSHIP POSITIONS”
Your Excellency Madam President,
With utmost respect and humility, I wish to inform you that I have reached the decision to “resign from my position of Public Leadership as Ambassador and Head of Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania in Havana, Cuba”, including representation for the Caribbean region, Central America, and the friendly nations of Colombia, Venezuela, and Guyana.
This decision has not been easy. It stems from deep reflection on “the trajectory of leadership in our country”, my experience as a Member of Parliament for the United Republic of Tanzania (November 2020 – March 2022), and finally as Ambassador to Lilongwe, Malawi (March 2022 – April 2023) and Havana, Cuba (April 2023 – July 2025).
Your Excellency, I accepted with great honor the appointment and mandate you entrusted to me to represent our nation internationally. I believed, and continue to believe, there was a significant purpose and task to uphold, safeguard, strengthen, and advance the broad interests of our nation in the areas under my ambassadorial mandate. It is an immense and immeasurable honor to be entrusted as Your Representative, representing our Nation, our People, and the State Authority. For this, I say thank you.
However, throughout my period of service both domestically and abroad, I have closely observed and witnessed with profound regret:
1. “A leadership direction inadequately focused” on protecting Human Rights, Peace, and respect for citizens;
2. “A lack of genuine commitment and tangible accountability” in addressing citizens’ grievances and challenges;
3. “A decline in leadership ethics” at various levels; and
4. “The weakening of the government’s execution of its core duties” for citizens’ welfare.
These matters deeply “endanger the broad interests of the United Republic of Tanzania”. Collectively, they have eroded my peace of mind and faith in the current leadership and my place within it.
Recent events have openly “violated the principles, culture, and traditions of Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM)” – particularly in the party’s internal candidate selection process. At every stage, this process has historically been fundamental to revitalizing the Party and providing an opportunity for Reforms (“Mageuzi”).
These collective reforms have consistently given the Party a refreshed image (“sura ng’aavu”) before the public ahead of elections. This tradition of internal reform has been a crucial pillar of CCM’s legitimacy and electoral success. A popular saying captures this: “CCM is always new”.
Key Context:
– CCM:
Tanzania’s long-standing ruling party (Chama cha Mapinduzi).
– Mageuzi:
Refers to internal party reforms/renewal processes within CCM, historically seen as key to its public legitimacy.
– Polepole explicitly links his resignation to “systemic failures in governance, accountability, ethics, and democratic processes within CCM and the government”.
MY TAKE:
These are opposition recurring themes, amd very unlikely to have been raised by Ambassador Polepole.
However, despite the majority of Tanzania’s news outlets taking the Instagram letters as authentic, I seriously doubt them. We may have to wait until official communication before we make much out of it as META AI cautioned:
“To determine whether Tanzania’s Ambassador Humphrey Polepole has genuinely resigned or if his account was hacked, let’s look at the facts.
Current Role:
Humphrey Polepole is listed as the Tanzanian Ambassador to Cuba and previously served as the Ambassador to Malawi from 2022 to 2023.
Account Hacking Precedent:
There’s a precedent for hacking in Tanzanian government social media accounts. In May 2025, the Tanzania Police Force’s X account was hacked, spreading false claims about President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s death and opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s arrest ¹.
Without direct evidence or an official statement from the Tanzanian government or Humphrey Polepole himself confirming his resignation or account hacking, it’s challenging to definitively say which claim is true. However, given the history of hacking incidents, it’s plausible that his account might have been compromised.
To get accurate information, I recommend checking:
– Official Government Channels:
Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation website or official social media accounts.
– News Outlets:
Reputable news sources like Kenya Insights or other local Tanzanian news outlets ¹.
Let’s verify the information through these channels to get a clearer picture.”
Read more analysis by Rutashubanyuma Nestory
