Reported by
Faridah N Kulumba
Tanzanian Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn as the president of Tanzania following the sudden death of president John Magufuli Pombe on Wednesday of heart condition.
The Tanzanian constitution Article 37 requires that the Vice-President takes over for the remaining term, if the president dies or resigns, this means that Hassan will serve the remainder of Magufuli’s second term which will expire in 2025.
Ms Hassan becomes the first female president of Tanzania, and the second president to come from the country’s semi autonomous island of Zanzibar.
Hassan 61 year old is now the six president of Tanzania sworn in by the Chief Justice Ibrahim Jumah at State House Dar es Salaam and majority of attendees wore masks in the Covid-sceptic nation. “I Samia Suluhu Hassan, promese to be honest and obey and protect the constitution of Tanzania..,” swore Samia
And after swearing in, she inspected troops at a military parade and received a cannon salute, calling for unity, stressing that the death of Magufuli has ushered Tanzania into a new era which requires focus and unity.
Who is Samia Suluhu Hassan?
Samia Suluhu Hassan is a Tanzanian politician who has become the six president of Tanzania, after the sudden death of president Magufuli from an illness shrouded in mystery.
She was born on 27 January 1960 now 61 year old. She married Sultanate of Zanzibar Hafidh Ameir in 1978.
Hassan is a soft-spoken Muslim woman from the island of Zanzibar which is 99% Muslim and she has been Vice President since 2015.
She studied in Zanzibar Institute of Financial Administration and later graduated from Mzumbe University in 1986, with Advanced Diploma in Public Administration.
She also attended University of Manchester were she received postgraduate diploma in Economics in 1994. Hassan served under Vice-President’s office as minister of state.
Will she handle?
According to BBC some Tanzanian political analysts, supporters of Magufuli and Christian nationalists are against her replacing John Magufuli.
But other reports say Hassan is backed up by some people in the ruling party who supported former president Jakaya Kikwete, especially those from Muslim communities.
Aisha Hamed a Tanzanian told African Report that as a woman she is so happy for their country to get the first female president, and she thinks that Hassan is going to face some challenges due to the fact that some Tanzanians do not believe in women holding big posts.
Hassan is now expected to appoint the new Vice-President after consulting the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi in a special meeting which will be held soon,
Magufuli’s burial arrangements
The newly elected president of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan after swearing in, announced that her predecessor John Magufuli will be buried on Thursday next week. She said that his burial will be preceded by publ ic viewing of his body in Dar es Salaam. Dodoma and his home town of Chato.
