Written by
Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Tanzania. Tanzanian newly sworn in President Samia Suluhu Hassan at long last confirmed her political ambitions, when she revealed that she intends to run for presidency in 2025, and become the country’s first elected female president were she wins.
President Samia while speaking at an event to mark the International Day of Democracy in Dar es Salaam recalled that her ascendancy into power was by God’s will and more so, by virtue of the country’s Constitution, urging women to ensure that a woman candidate wins the vote outright in the next presidential election in 2025.
History
Friday 19 March 2021 marked a new chapter in Tanzania as the first- ever female president Samia Suluhu Hassan, took the oath of office by the Constitution, following the passing of her predecessor President John Pombe Magufuli.
The 61 year old Samia, was President Magufuli’s Vice-President, first elected with him in 2015 and re-elected in 2020, and she will serve out the remaining four years of Magufuli term which ends in October 2025.
Newspaper Suspension
In August 2021 the government of Tanzania suspended the ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) owned newspaper Uhuru for two weeks for publishing a “false” story about President Samia.
The suspension was sparked by the story which was published on a front page claiming Hassan who has been in office for only 5 months was not considering running for presidency in 2025, reported Mail Online.
The government’s authorities clarified on this matter saying President Hassan has made no declaration about not running for the presidency in 2025, adding that the paper made “legal and professional mistakes.”
Strategy
Referring to herself through women, Samia said Tanzanian women played a pivotal role in ensuring that the country had a female Vice-President, but getting to the president’s throne would be quite tough but they have to put in more effort, for Tanzania to have the first elected female president in 2025.
President Samia’s strategy is to empower more women by appointing them to positions of leadership, in a bid to attain a 50-50 gender party in various leadership roles so that they can cash in on the opportunity when it knocks on the door.
Research has shown that having more women in leadership positions not only benefits women but society as a whole, it leads to more gender-responsive policies and budgets, more peaceful and inclusive societies and more resources allocation according to the UN Women Deputy Representative.
Speculations have been rife over how Samia would assert authority within a political landscape thrown into confusion by the former president’s sudden death, including handling expected challenges from diehard Magufuli’s supporters within the ruling CCM party, but political observers say the changes she has initiated are clear indication that she wants to stamp her authority before the next presidential elections.
