Tanzania President fires her Spy Agency chief amidst rising political tension

By Kizito Makoye, DAR ES SALAAM Tanzania

In a dramatic turn of events, Tanzania’s president Samia Hassan yesterday August 28 ousted her spy chief who served for less than eight months, Said Massoro, in a surprising move that left people in a state of pandemonium.

Surprisingly, the president wasted no time in appointing a new spy chief, a seasoned spy named Ali Idi Siwa, who was swiftly sworn in at the State House.

The shocking dismissal comes as the country finds itself entangled in heated political tension over the controversial deal to relinquish control of vital ports to Dubai Port World.

The president's reasons for the changes in the covert security organ remain privy to insiders.

Barely a week after Catholic Bishops strongly opposed the government's decision, in their hard-hitting pastoral letter they warned the government over the tendency to disregard people’s opinions, prompting President Hassan to make a short remark suggesting that “No one has guts to sell Tanzania"

On June 10, Tanzania’s national assembly approved an “intergovernmental agreement” the Tanzanian government entered into with the Emirate of Dubai in October 2022 aimed at “developing, improving, managing and operating the sea and lake ports in areas like special economic zones, logistic parks and trade corridors.”

The authorities have since cracked down harshly on protesters and activists who criticized the agreement for giving another country excessive control of Tanzania’s ports. The critics contend that the government’s action violated Tanzanian and international law.

On June 19, police arrested and detained 18 people for two days during a protest in Dar es Salaam.

President Hassan’s critics have it that the government's move potentially compromises the country's sovereignty.

Ordinary citizens have voiced their deep concerns, likening the move to pawning national sovereignty to her former oppressors.

As the nation grapples with the implications of this surprising move, intelligence analysts are tirelessly trying to draw inferences on the motivations behind this sudden shuffle at the highest echelons of power.

In the midst of this uncertainty, the country watches with bated breath as the aftermath of the president’s decision unfolds.

One question looms large: What lies ahead for the political future of this country?

**Makoye Kizito is an international journalist and researcher based in Tanzania