Samia Suluhu Makes History As Tanzania’s First Woman President [Video]

Tanzania’s Vice President Samia Suluhu has taken oath of office as the country’s Head of State following the demise of President John Pombe Magufuli.

In a ceremony held at State House in Dar es Salaam on Friday morning, Samia made history as the first female leader of the East African nation since its independence from Britain in late 1961.

Samia Suluhu Hassan has just been sworn in as President of Tanzania. pic.twitter.com/dnc9uzFJsv

— Samira Sawlani (@samirasawlani) March 19, 2021

Samia, 61, is the 6th person to hold the position.

She will serve for the remaining period of Magufuli’s five-year second term in line with the country’s Constitution.

Read: Who is Samia Suluhu? Tanzania’s Next First Female President

Magufuli, who was elected president in October 2015, died on Wednesday from heart complications, according to Tanzanian authorities.

The President, nicknamed “The Bulldozer” because of his reputation for pushing through policies despite opposition, had just served for about five months in his second term in office.

There is a possibility that Samia will vie for another term in 2025.

Reports indicate that her swearing-in today will be quickly followed by a high-level meeting of her party’s Central Committee on Saturday at the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Sub-Office in Dar es Salaam.

Read Also: Magufuli: A Former Science Teacher Who Ruled Tanzania with an Iron Fist

It’s highly likely that Samia’s Vice President will be picked during the meeting.

Samia became Tanzania’s first female Vice-President in 2015 after being elected on the CCM ticket along with President Magufuli.

Before her tenure as vice-president, she served as the Member of Parliament for Makunduchi constituency from 2010 to 2015 and was also the Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office for Union Affairs from 2010 to 2015.

Read Also: Gains Late Tanzania President Magufuli will be Remembered For

She previously served as a minister in the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar in the administration of President Amani Karume.

In 2014, she was elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the country’s new constitution.

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