The Sunday News
PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in as Tanzania’s President at State House in Dar es Salaam last week, making history as the first woman to hold the top job in the East African country. The 61-year-old’s inauguration came after the passing on of President John Magufuli.
‘Time to stand together’
In her first public address, President Hassan — who is affectionately known as Mama Samia — said it was a difficult day in her political career.
“Today I have taken an oath different from the rest that I have taken in my career,” she said. “Those were taken in happiness. Today I took the highest oath of office in mourning.”
However, she assured Tanzanians that the late President Magufuli, “who always liked teaching,” had prepared her for the task ahead and encouraged national unity.
“This is the time to stand together and get connected,” she said. “It’s time to bury our differences and show love to one another and look forward with confidence.”
President Hassan will complete President Magufuli’s second five-year term in office, which began in October 2020 after he won general elections. She also announced 21 days of mourning for the former President , as well as public holidays on March 22 and March 25.
Steady rise to the top
President Hassan began her political journey in 2000 after she was elected as a special seat member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives and appointed a minister. At the time, she was the only high-ranking female minister in the Cabinet. After serving two terms, she sought election to the National Assembly in 2010, winning the vote by more than 80%. Then President Jakaya Kikwete appointed her as the Minister of state for union affairs and in 2014, she was elected as the vice chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly tasked with drafting Tanzania’s new constitution.
In 2015, the late President Magufuli selected President Hassan as his running mate — a surprise choice over many more prominent members of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. President Hassan is also the country’s first President born in semi-autonomous Zanzibar. She attended school at a time when very few Tanzanian girls were offered the opportunity of education outside the traditional roles of wife and homemaker. She is also a practising Muslim. Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi said the significance of her background should not be underestimated in the context of Tanzanian politics.
“I think the fact that she’s Muslim and she comes from Zanzibar speaks volumes and I think the swearing-in ceremony itself has been very symbolic, not only for Tanzanians but for many women and young girls around the world,” she told DW. Taking over the reins
The first major challenge facing President Hassan will be her government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic going forward.
“We cannot talk about Hassan’s Presidency without talking about the ruling party CCM. I think the CCM will determine and have a very big influence on her Presidency. What needs to be seen is who is she going to become when she’s not the one receiving orders, but giving orders.”
President Hassan’s leadership style is purportedly quite different to the late President Magufuli. The late President was dubbed “The Bulldozer” for his tough approach towards policymaking. In contrast, President Hassan has been described as a much more diplomatic political figure.
“She does have good negotiation skills,” said Sarungi. “She’s very calm and doesn’t often show emotions but is firm, as well as the fact that she’s got a sense of humour.”
Many Tanzanians expressed approval and respect for the decisions the late President Magufuli made while in office.
“President Magufuli contributed immensely to upgrading education, especially tertiary education, by providing loans to high learning students, which is a challenge to many Tanzanians,” university student Noel Mtafya told DW. Dar es Salaam resident Hellen John said she hoped the incoming President would also prove to be a strong leader. God be with us and we hope to have another leader like him,” she told DW.
President Hassan has not been afraid to go against the grain of her own party in the past: In 2017, she visited opposition leader Tundu Lissu at a Nairobi hospital following an assassination attempt.
Family background
The new President’s father was a school teacher and her mother a housewife. After completing her secondary education in 1977, she was employed by the Ministry of Planning and Development as a clerk, and pursued a number of short-courses on a part-time basis.
In 1986, she graduated from the Institute of Development Management (present-day Mzumbe University) with an advanced diploma in public administration. Upon graduation, she was employed on a project funded by the World Food Programme. Between 1992 and 1994, she attended the University of Manchester and graduated with a postgraduate diploma in Economics. In 2015, she obtained her MSc in Community Economic Development via a joint-programme between the Open University of Tanzania and the Southern New Hampshire University.
President Hassan is married to Mr Hafidh Ameir , a retired agricultural officer since 1978. They have four children, her second born, Wanu Hafidh Ameir (born 1982), is a special seat member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives.— www.dw.com /diasporamessenger.com
