Tanzania’s Vice President About To Become First Female President

Following the death of Tanzania’s President, John Magufuli, who died yesterday, the country’s Vice President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, is about to become the first female President in East Africa.

Magufuli, 61, died from a heart attack, according to a televised announcement by the Vice-President Hassan on Wednesday evening, March 17, following weeks of speculations he was down with Covid-19.

According to the Tanzanian Constitution; “Where the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death, then the Vice-President shall be sworn in and become the President for the unexpired period of the term of five years.”

This means Samia Suluhu Hassan, the 61-year-old vice-president, is set to take over until 2025 as the sixth president of Tanzania.

Hon. Suluhu will not only be Tanzania’s first female president but also the first female president in Eastern Africa.

Her husband, Hafidh Ameir, a retired agriculture officer, will become Tanzania’s first First Gentleman.

The couple have three grown kids – three sons and a daughter. Their daughter Mwanu Hafidh Ameir is a member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives.

Samia Suluhu Hassan was the 10th Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, who assumed office on November 5, 2015, under President John Pombe Magufuli.

Previously, she was the Minister of State, in the office of the Vice President in charge of Union Affairs.

Born on January 27, 1960, Suluhu was an MP for Makunduchi constituency from 2010 to 2015 and had been the Minister of State in the VP’s Office for Union Affairs since 2010.

From 2005-2010, she served as a Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment and in 2000-2005 a Minister of Youth Employment, Women and Children Development, both in Zanzibar.

In 2000, she decided to join politics and was elected as a special seat member to the Zanzibar House of Representatives and was appointed a minister by President Amani Karume.