The just resigned former Tanzanian envoy to Cuba, Ambassador Humphrey Polepole has refuted reports that he intended to seek asylum in Sweden.
This is after him calling it quits from both the Tanzanian government and his overseas diplomatic office, through a highly viral letter posted on his social media accounts.
Through his various social and digital platforms, Ambassador Polepole insisted that it never crossed his mind to live anywhere outside his country, which is Tanzania, even after resigning from his Cuban embassy job, bestowed onto him by the state.
Shortly after his resignation letter went viral in both social and traditional media outlets, other reports emerged that the former Tanzanian envoy to Cuba was seeking asylum in any of the Scandinavian countries, precisely Sweden or Denmark, where he intended to start a new life in exile.
According to the speculations, Polepole has been forced to make the decision because he fears for his life.
However, through his recent posts, Ambassador Polepole has denied such plans.
He is saying …
“Among the list of the things not in my plans before the (Christian) rapture, is seeking life outside my own country. This will not happen today, yesterday and tomorrow,” the envoy maintained.
Clearing the air
Humphrey Polepole promised to clarify his stance during a press conference scheduled for Thursday, the 17th of July 2025 from 11.00 am, which should be in the morning hours, as far as the East African time is measured.
During the meeting, Polepole also intends to clarify the letter of resignation he allegedly sent to the President of Tanzania, saying there have been a lot of distortions from what he originally intended to mean in the dispatch.
Now he is calling a press conference to put things right … sort of.
“Information and process of participating in the scheduled press briefing will be announced later through the media,” Polepole stated in his recent posts, without explaining which outlets will be used to relay the invite.
However, for many observers, the Humphrey Polepole Press Meeting is most likely to be held virtually as it is still not known where the former Ambassador is at the moment or whether he will be flying home anytime soon.
Immediately after Humphrey’s resignation, one Amos Makala, who is the spokesperson for the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the party of which Ambassador Polepole is a member, said the former envoy stated clearly that he was not going to defect from the party.
Which, as far as Makala is concerned, should be good news to them.
Prelude Story: Why did the Tanzanian Ambassador to Cuba Resign?