Tanzania: Political and Strategic Risks to President Samia’s 2025 Election Bid: Fallout from Spy Agency TISS Recurrent Reshuffles

Sunday’s removal of yet another senior official from the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Services (TISS) is part of a larger pattern that has marked President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration. These personnel changes include dismissing three spy chiefs and several top TISS operatives some of whom were subsequently appointed to sensitive diplomatic positions. As Tanzania gears up for its next general election in 2025, the question arises whether these developments pose a risk to Samia’s political future. Could this cadre of sidelined intelligence officials, both domestically and abroad, coalesce into a potent threat against her re-election bid? This analysis explores the implications of these actions, their potential impact on the 2025 election, and the strategic calculus behind such reshuffles.