First Female President of Tanzania: Samia Suluhu Hassan Takes Charge After John Magufuli’s Sudden Demise

First Female President of Tanzania: Suluhu Hassan’s swearing-in ceremony took place two days after President John Magufuli passed away due to heart failure.

New Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan addresses after swearing-in ceremony as the country's first female President after the sudden death of President John Magufuli at statehouse in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on March 19, 2021. | AFP

First Female President of Tanzania: Samia Suluhu Hassan was on Friday sworn-in as Tanzania's first female President, making her the first woman in the country and East Africa to hold the highest office. The 61-year-old statistician, who was earlier the country's Vice President, was sworn in by Chief Justice Ibrahim Juma at State House in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, DPA news agency reported, according to IANS.

Suluhu Hassan’s swearing-in ceremony took place two days after President John Magufuli passed away due to heart failure. Hailing from the island of Zanzibar, she was elected Vice-Chair of the Constitutional Assembly in 2014.

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Suluhu Hassan, said to be a soft-spoken lady, subsequently became Magufuli's running mate for the 2015 general election, which led her to become the Vice President.

The Vice President serves out the remainder of the term of a President who dies in office, as per Tanzania's constitution. This means Suluhu Hassan would hold the country's highest office until the next election in 2025.

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Magufuli's death was accompanied by rumours that he died due to the Covid-19 virus as he had been absent from public view since February end.

Magufuli, who secured a second five-year term following the polls held in October last year, was first elected in 2015.