CHAMA cha Mapinduzi Youth Wing (UVCCM) Chairman Mohamed Kawaida has dismissed the resignation of Tanzania’s Ambassador to Cuba, Humphrey Polepole, as emotionally driven, warning that leadership should be anchored in institutional stability rather than personal feelings.

Posting on his Instagram account, Kawaida stated, “To you, Polepole, personal emotions cannot be the measure of a nation’s leadership legitimacy. A lack of inner peace is a personal issue, not a systemic argument. If every leader resigns due to emotional pain, we would no longer have institutional leadership but one led by sentiments. Character is not the same as soul.”

His remarks came in response to Polepole’s announcement on July 13, 2025, that he was stepping down from his diplomatic post. 

In a letter addressed to President Samia Suluhu Hassan and shared on his social media platforms, Polepole said his resignation followed deep reflection on the current direction of leadership in the country.

Polepole, a former Member of Parliament and CCM Ideology and Publicity Secretary, did not go into details but hinted at discomfort with the nation’s leadership trajectory, citing personal convictions and the need to remain true to his conscience.

Kawaida’s comments have sparked fresh debate within political circles over the role of personal conviction in public service, with some defending Polepole’s right to step down and others echo.