Samia Suluhu Hassan

Last updated

Hafidh Ameir
(m. 1978)
Samia Suluhu Hassan
International leaders sign joint statement at COP26 (51649202102) (Suluhu crop).jpg
Suluhu in 2021
6th President of Tanzania
Assumed office
19 March 2021
Children4, including Wanu Hafidh Ameir
Education Mzumbe University (AdvDip)
University of Manchester (PGDip)
Open University of Tanzania (MSc)

Samia Suluhu Hassan ( /sɑːmiɑː/ /suluhu/ /hɑːssɑːn/ // , SAH-mee-ah Soo-LOO-hoo HA-San; born 27 January 1960) is a Tanzanian politician who has served as president of Tanzania since 19 March 2021. She is the first woman to serve in the position. She previously served as vice-president of Tanzania from 2015 to 2021, from which she ascended to the presidency following the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli.

Contents

A native of Zanzibar, Suluhu served as a minister in the semi-autonomous region from 2000 to 2010. She then served as the Member of Parliament for the Makunduchi constituency from 2010 to 2015 and was the Minister of State in the Vice-President's Office for Union Affairs from 2010 to 2015. In 2014, she was elected as the vice-chairperson of the Constituent Assembly tasked with the drafting of the country's new constitution. Suluhu became Tanzania's first female vice-president following the 2015 general election, after being elected on the Chama Cha Mapinduzi ticket with Magufuli. Suluhu and Magufuli were re-elected to a second term in 2020.

As president, Suluhu has implemented democratic reforms, reversing the policies of her predecessor that were implemented to repress political opposition. She also implemented policies to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania, which Magufuli had denied was a serious issue. Other focuses of her presidency have included the expansion of infrastructure and the globalisation of the Tanzanian economy through investors and tourism.

Early life and education

Suluhu was born in the Sultanate of Zanzibar on 27 January 1960 to a teacher and his wife. Four years later, Zanzibar unified with Tanganyika to form the nation of Tanzania. [1] She completed her secondary education in 1977, [2] and she began working as an office clerk. [1] She married agriculturalist Hafidh Ameir the following year. Together they had three sons and one daughter. [3] Their daughter Wanu Hafidh Ameir (born 1982), the couple's second child, went on to become a member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives. [4]

Suluhu pursued a number of short courses on a part-time basis. In 1986, she graduated from the Institute of Development Management (present-day Mzumbe University) with an advanced diploma in public administration. [2] Between 1992 and 1994, she attended the University of Manchester and earned a postgraduate diploma in economics. [5] She later obtained her MSc in Community Economic Development in 2015 via a joint programme between the Open University of Tanzania and Southern New Hampshire University. [2]

Suluhu became a development officer with the regional Zanzibar government in 1988. She became a project manager at the World Food Programme. In the 1990s, she was put in charge of a body that regulates non-governmental organisations in Zanzibar. [1]

Political career

In 2000, Suluhu became a special seat member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives with the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, where she was appointed Zanzibar's Minister for Youth Employment, Women and Children. [1] [6] While in this position, she ended the prohibition on new mothers returning to school. [7] She was the only high-ranking woman minister in the cabinet and was treated less seriously by her male colleagues because she was a woman. [5] She was re-elected in 2005 and was appointed as Minister for Tourism and Trade Investment. [1] [5]

In 2010, Suluhu sought election to the National Assembly, standing in the parliamentary constituency of Makunduchi and winning by more than 80%. [5] President Jakaya Kikwete appointed her as the Minister of State for Union Affairs. [8] In 2014, she was elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the country's new constitution. [9]

Suluhu was the vice-presidential candidate for the CCM in the 2015 general election, along with presidential candidate John Magufuli. She was an unexpected choice, as several more prominent and influential politicians were passed on for the role. [7] [10] She was the first female running mate in the party's history. [11] They won the election, and they were sworn in on 5 November 2015. [12] Suluhu became the first female Vice-President of Tanzania. A dispute emerged between Magufuli and Suluhu in 2016 in which questions of her loyalty were raised, but Suluhu then made public statements in support of Magufuli. [1] Magufuli and Suluhu were re-elected in the 2020 general election, though the victory was called into question after allegations of electoral fraud by independent observers. [1] [13]

President of Tanzania

Ascension and swearing in

On 17 March 2021, Suluhu announced that Magufuli had died after a long illness; Magufuli had not been seen in public since late February. She was sworn in on 19 March 2021 to serve the remainder of his second term. [14] Opposition leaders had expressed concern about a possible vacuum when 18 March passed without Suluhu being sworn in. [15] Immediately after being sworn in, Suluhu inspected troops at a military parade in her honour. [13] In her first statement as president, Suluhu declared three weeks of mourning for Magufuli's death. [10] She chose Minister of Finance Philip Mpango as her vice-president. [16]

Upon her swearing-in, Suluhu became Tanzania's first female president [6] and the second Zanzibari to hold the post, [17] after Ali Hassan Mwinyi. She became one of only two serving female heads of state in Africa at the time she was sworn in, alongside Ethiopia's Sahle-Work Zewde, who held only a ceremonial role. [13] She was the only female head of government in Africa after she was sworn in. [18]

Presidential administration

Map highlighting countries Suluhu visited while president Map showing countries President Samia Suluhu of Tanzania has visited.svg
Map highlighting countries Suluhu visited while president

The COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing when Suluhu became president. She reversed the denialist position on the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania held by Magufuli, and she entered Tanzania into the COVAX program to begin distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in July 2021. [19] Mandatory 14-day quarantines for travellers entering Tanzania from countries with cases of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 were imposed. [20] Suluhu permitted embassies and other international organisations to import vaccines into the country to vaccinate foreign nationals for their Tanzanian day-to-day work, aided by the Ministry of Health. [21]

Since becoming president, Suluhu has pledged to see that the flagship development projects that were initiated by Magufuli are completed on time. [22] She has also approved new development projects. [23] Projects that she prioritised include establishing a railway line, building a hydropower plant, and making electricity and clean water available in rural Tanzania. [18]

Suluhu filmed a movie, The Royal Tour, with journalist and filmmaker Peter Greenberg in early 2021 with the intention of promoting tourism and getting investors interested in Tanzania. [24] Suluhu became the fifth African woman to address the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021. [25] She reorganised her presidential cabinet in January 2022 to ensure that it was populated by loyalists, [19] while she gradually removed those who had served under Magufuli. [26]

Suluhu adopted a more internationalist approach rather than the isolationism of her predecessor, and she has sought to entice both investors and tourists. [18] In 2022, she attended the Expo 2020 to promote Tanzanian products and opportunities which led her to sign a business partnership deal with Dubai. [27] [28] Suluhu took a neutral stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that they should negotiate peace and that "we don't know why they are fighting". [18]

In 2022, Suluhu was named among the top 100 most influential people in the world by American magazine Time. [29] She is expected to run for re-election in the 2025 general election. [18]

Style of governance

Writers for France 24, The New York Times, and New Internationalist have all described Suluhu as "soft-spoken". [13] [18] [30] Suluhu herself has referenced her quiet demeanour. [1] Al-Jazeera correspondent Catherine Wambua-Soi described a collaborative nature in Suluhu's approach to government, saying that she consults her advisors instead of making unilateral decisions. [1] BBC News cited a comparison to Magufili's predecessor, Jakaya Kikwete, who similarly engaged in diplomacy with the opposition instead of repression. [31] Suluhu is sometimes known as Mama Samia, a name meant to indicate reverence. [7] Suluhu has emphasised her femininity as part of her presidency, describing it as a factor in her attempts to create a culture of political unity. [32]

When she became president, Suluhu was seen by the public and outside observers as a more democratically-inclined alternative to Magufuli, who had developed a reputation as an authoritarian. [13] [30] [31] After taking office, Suluhu took measures to increase freedom of speech and freedom of the press to reverse Magufuli's policies and to improve Tanzania's global image. These included releasing political prisoners, meeting with opposition leaders, and reopening newspapers that were shut down for criticising the government. [19] She also lifted a ban on political rallies in 2023, which her predecessor had implemented to stifle the opposition. [33] The opposition has approved of her changes, though some distrust still exists following the persecution they faced under Suluhu's predecessor. [32]

Tanzania became more democratic during Suluhu's presidency. Though she has initiated several democratic reforms, there is no agreement as to how much can be attributed to her policies, and she has faced criticism for not challenging many authoritarian laws and practices. [18] [31] Suluhu chose not to seek widely demanded amendments to the constitution when she took office, citing the poor state of the economy. [18] Following the release of Freeman Mbowe and his immediate conversation with Suluhu, his first appearance days later was at the International Women's Day event in Iringa. This caused critics to accuse Suluhu of releasing Mbowe on condition of support for Western feminist policies. [19] [34] Suluhu's meetings and reconciliation with opposition leaders have conversely received criticism within her own party. [19]

Honours, awards and recognition

Suluhu receiving honorary doctorate at Jawaharlal Nehru University, October 2023 Samia Suluhu Hassan at the special convocation ceremony by Jawaharlal Nehru University.jpg
Suluhu receiving honorary doctorate at Jawaharlal Nehru University, October 2023

Honours

YearCountry Order
2023Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Order of South Africa [35]
2024Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania (Flag of Zanzibar.svg  Zanzibar)Order of the Revolution for Leaders with Unique Characteristics [36]

Awards

Honorary academic awards

YearUniversityCountryHonour
2022 University of Dar es Salaam Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) Honoris Causa) [40]
2023 Jawaharlal Nehru University Flag of India.svg  India Doctor of Philosophy(Honoris Causa) [41]
2023 State University of Zanzibar Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania Doctor of Philosophy in Tourism Management and Marketing (Honoris Causa) [42]
2024 Ankara University Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey Honorary Doctorate in Economics (Honoris Causa) [43]

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
2022The Royal Tour TanzaniaHerselfDocumentary film [44]
2023The Hidden TanzaniaHerselfPre-production [45]

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    The politics of Tanzania takes place in a framework of a unitary presidential democratic republic, whereby the President of Tanzania is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The party system is dominated by the Chama Cha Mapinduzi. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Tanzania</span> Head of state and of government of the United Republic of Tanzania

    The president of the United Republic of Tanzania is the head of government.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Chama Cha Mapinduzi</span> Dominant political party in Tanzania

    The Chama Cha Mapinduzi is the dominant ruling party in Tanzania and the second longest-ruling party in Africa, only after the True Whig Party of Liberia. It was formed in 1977, following the merger of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) and the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP), which were the sole operating parties in mainland Tanzania and the semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar, respectively.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Hussein Mwinyi</span> Tanzanian-Zanzibari president

    Hussein Ali Mwinyi is the 8th president of Zanzibar. The son of former Tanzanian president Ali Hasan Mwinyi, he is a member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) political party.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Ummy Mwalimu</span> Tanzanian politician (born 1973)

    Ummy Ally Mwalimu is a Tanzanian politician belonging to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. She is currently a Member of Parliament for Tanga Constituency and also serves as the Minister of Health, Seniors and Children. She has held various cabinet positions since 2010. She is a third-term Member of Parliament, firstly appointed to a seat reserved for women in the parliament of Tanzania in 2010.

    Godbless Jonathan Lema is a Tanzanian Chadema politician and Member of Parliament for Arusha City constituency from 2010 to 2015. He was also a candidate for the same constituency in the 2015 general election which was conducted on 25 October 2015. However, the parliamentary election for Arusha Constituency had to be postponed following the death of Estomoh Malya who was the parliamentary candidate for the Alliance for Change and Transparency, a newly established opposition political party in Tanzania.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Magufuli cabinet</span> 2015 cabinet of Tanzania

    The Magufuli Cabinet was formed by President of Tanzania John Magufuli after taking the oath of office on 5 November 2015. Magufuli won the 2015 general election with 58% of the vote in a tightly contested race against ex-CCM Chadema rival Edward Lowassa. After being sworn in on 5 November 2015, Magufuli announced his cabinet almost a month later, on 10 December 2015. He reduced the cabinet to 19 ministers from 30 in the previous cabinet. The Second Cabinet's tenure was cut short on 19 March 2021, following the death of President John Magufuli, and the swearing-in of Samia Suluhu Hassan as the new president.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Mpango</span> Tanzanian politician and economist

    Philip Isdor Mpango is a Tanzanian economist and politician who serves as the Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Jokate Mwegelo</span> Tanzanian politician (born 1987)

    Jokate Mwegelo is a Tanzanian politician and Secretary General of the Chama cha Mapinduzi’s Youth Wing (UVCCM).Before being appointed, she was an entrepreneur and a media personality. In July 2018, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli appointed Hon. Jokate Mwegelo as the new District Commissioner for Kisarawe district in Pwani region. She was then appointed as the District Commissioner for Temeke District in Dar es Salaam Region in July 2021. Hon. Jokate Mwegelo was appointed by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan as the District Commissioner for Korogwe District in Tanga Region in January, 2023 . She is a member of Chama Cha Mapinduzi, previously served as Secretary in charge of Public Relations and Mobilization UVCCM - youth wing of Chama Cha Mapinduzi.

    Doto Mashaka Biteko is a Tanzanian politician and a member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi political party. He was elected MP representing Bukombe in 2015.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Innocent Bashungwa</span> Tanzanian politician

    Innocent Lugha Bashungwa is a Tanzanian politician who has served as the Minister of Works in Tanzania since 2023. He previously served as Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Minister of Defence and a Minister of State in the President's Office in Tanzania and is a member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi political party. He was elected MP representing Karagwe in 2015.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Venance Salvatory Mabeyo</span>

    Venance Salvatory Mabeyo, also known as Vicent Mabeyo, is a retired Tanzanian military officer who served as the eighth Defense Forces Chief to lead the Tanzania People's Defense Force (TPDF). He was appointed by President John Magufuli on 6 February 2017. After Magufuli's death in March 2021, Mabeyo played a major role in ensuring a smooth transition of power to the new President, Samia Suluhu Hassan. He retired from the TPDF in June 2022.

    The 2020 Chama Cha Mapinduzi presidential primaries took place in July 2020. Incumbent president and 2015 nominee, John Magufuli ran unopposed for his second term for the President of Tanzania and so there was no primary vote for the Union presidency position. However, Zanzibar president Ali Mohamed Shein is ineligible for re-election due to term limits and a primary was held to determine the Zanzibar presidential nominee. The winners of the primary are the CCM candidates for the 2020 Tanzanian general election and the 2020 Zanzibari general election.

    Events of 2021 in Tanzania.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Suluhu Cabinet</span>

    The Suluhu Cabinet was officially formed in Tanzania on 31 March 2021. Following the death of former president John Magufuli, Samia Suluhu Hassan the Vice President in the previous cabinet was sworn in as the new president. Within two weeks of her assignment, she appointed a new vice president and reshuffled the previous cabinet.

    Mohamed Mchengerwa is a current member of the Tanzanian Cabinet and is a Minister in the president's office in Tanzania. He is a member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi political party. He was elected MP representing Rufiji in 2015.

    Emmanuel Mpawe Tutuba is the eight Governor of the Bank of Tanzania.

    Events of 2023 in Tanzania.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Death and state funeral of John Magufuli</span> 2021 death and state funeral of the President of Tanzania

    John Magufuli, the 5th President of Tanzania, died on 17 March 2021 following a prolonged illness. He was the first and only Tanzanian president to die in office.

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    Political offices
    Preceded by
    Mussa Silima
    Minister of Tourism, Trade and Investment
    2005–2010
    Succeeded by
    Said Ali Mbarouk
    Preceded by Minister of State for Union Affairs in the Vice President's Office
    2010–2015
    Succeeded by
    Preceded by Vice-President of Tanzania
    2015–2021
    Succeeded by
    Preceded by President of Tanzania
    2021–Present
    Incumbent
    Party political offices
    Preceded by CCM nominee for Vice-President of Tanzania
    2015, 2020
    Most recent