Africa-Press – Tanzania. Even after she assumed the country’s most powerful office, President Samia Suluhu Hassan still remained true to her roots. It is reported that the Head of State even responded to Whatsapp congratulatory messages, sent to her by some of her relatives based in Oman.
“I was expecting her not to answer her WhatsApp messages because of her new powerful position. But she answered my messages of congratulations very warmly. That shows how humble she still is and that power did not get into her head,” says Khadija Al Ghaithi, a retired civil servant in Muscat, who went to school with President Samia, in an interview published in the thenationalnews. com.
Ms Al Ghaithi says she went to school with the 62-year-old leader when the two were both 12 years old, and have continuously been in close contact over the years.
“She was a high achiever in class and very good at communication. She was also always ready to help her friends with anything,” Ms Al Ghaithi recalls.
“I am personally proud of her as a friend but not at all surprised that she made it to the top in her political career.” As the President clocks one year in office today, it is worth noting the sense of humility she has maintained.
Donning the Hijab, the Makunduchi born leader started off her career as an office clerk and development worker in her native Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous archipelago, before being elected to the national assembly on mainland Tanzania and assigned a senior ministry.
“This is indeed a compelling story of someone who now occupies the country’s top most office, very humble but stays true to her words,” says Mr Moses Allan Nswilla, a Programme Manager of Friends of East Africa, (FEA), as he takes stock of the President’s first term in office.
Describing the President’s humility, Mr Allan says the country’s first female top most leader has managed to keep her family off the limelight, uncharacteristic of many African leaders.
This has been the case even when was the second in command before the untimely death of her predecessor, John Magufuli. “Some leaders on the continent have been forced to have a date in court for amassing wealth just because they made their next of kins part of the regimes,” explains Mr Nswilla.
Godson Mallya, a political enthusiast based in the city opines that President Samia embodies an unmatched humility in the way she runs the country’s affairs. Mr Mallya, who equally heaps praise on the leader for hitting the ground running following the peaceful transition last March, says Ms Samia has also tried to shy away from the usual pomp and flair that a great deal of African leaders were accustomed to.
“This has also been manifested in how she has tried to reach out to some once opposition political figures in the country such as Freeman Mbowe and Tundu Lissu,” he says.
While celebrating her 62nd birthday early this year, President Samia narrated to Tanzanians of her humble beginnings which included looking for a job at 17, studying from certificate to Master’s Level up to holding the highest office in the land. She recounted how she was turned away from a job she applied for as a clerk, back in 1977 just because she was underage.
She would, however, give it a second shot and the rest is history. During her free time, the President spends time listening to Taarab, a musical genre popular in the coast and also prefers bonding with her grandchildren.
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