The Tanzanian ambassador to Cuba, Humphrey Polepole, has thrown in the towel, calling it quits after serving the post for nearly five years now.
Envoy Polepole, a former ruling party (CCM) spokesperson during the late John Magufuli presidency, previously also represented Tanzania in Malawi as an ambassador at Lilongwe.
He was made an envoy after Samia Suluhu Hassan took over the presidency as per constitution, following the untimely death of Dr John Pombe Magufuli in March 2021.
Now all of a sudden, Polepole is tendering in his resignation, but why now?
Humphrey Polepole on the other hand, explains his decision to resign from the high commission post as dissatisfaction with the direction which the country is taking at the moment.
According to Humphrey Polepole the leadership of the country and the ruling CCM party seems to be on the wrong track.
Polepole said in his resignation letter to President Samia Suluhu Hassan dated July 13, 2025 that history will judge him for his decision to step down.
Samia Suluhu is the current Chairperson of CCM.
And as far as Polepole is concerned, he is being saddened by the current trajectory of the country, citing human rights abuses, lack of respect for human dignity and accountability.
Polepole, who posted the letter on his verified Instagram account, also cited irregularities in ongoing parliamentary primaries in the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
Bigwigs in the main opposition party, the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), Godbless Lema has praised Polepole for taking the brave decision for the sake of the nation.
Social media platforms in Tanzania have been going crazy with Polepole’s resignation, with most people lauding his decision, while others, especially supporters of the ruling party, feel a major let down.
Humphrey Polepole joined the ruling party voluntarily in the late 1990s and according to him; he participated in the first general election as a voter in the year 2000.
We know what he did last summer
Polepole wrote that since ‘he could no longer be part of an administration that lacks motivation and adherence to the principles of the country’s constitution and the party, justice, morals, humanity, and accountability to the citizens, he has voluntarily decided to resign from all the governmental roles.
The ambassador to Cuba previously served as a Nominated Member of Parliament, District Commissioner, and even as CCM’s Secretary for Ideology, Publicity, and Training.
He was first appointed in 2022 as Tanzania’s High Commissioner to Zambia before being transferred to Cuba in 2023.
His appointment in 2022 came when Polepole, who had served as a member of the Constitutional Review Committee, was among the few from CCM who openly criticised the Samia Administration, which came to power on March 19, 2021, following the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli.
Through his YouTube channel he would conduct what he termed as ‘Online Leadership School,’ through which he shared his views on the country’s leadership direction, condemning corruption and warning about the presence of “Wahuni” (“rogues”) in the government.
However, on December 17, 2021, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) indefinitely suspended the YouTube programme on allegations of publishing “false news,” with Polepole describing the move as one of the challenges of “speaking the truth.”