One year ago, on March 17, death of President John Pombe Magufuli would elevate to power the vice-president Samia Suluhu Hassan.
As she marks her 1st year in power, President Suluhu has revolutionised women’s leadership quickly, wowing the world. Suluhu was Magufuli’s deputy. This is in accordance with a power-sharing arrangement in Tanzania.
The agreement states that if a presidential party candidate is from Tanzania, his deputy would be from Zanzibar.
This agreement then saw her sit in a position largely ceremonial. Her predecessor was not very friendly to foreign powers, he only visited a couple of African countries and Suluhu would represent him in international forums.
This might be why Suluhu has excelled at creating a good relationship with the international community. Locally, Suluhu had not gotten it easy; she once compelled Speaker of Parliament Job Ndugai to resign for questioning her on external borrowing.
Suluhu has also tried to mend the relationship between her predecessor Magufuli and opposition leaders.
She held a meeting with two leaders of the Chadema party, Tundu Lissu and Freeman Mbowe.
The BCC, in an article, the ‘Tanzania viewpoint’ termed the meetings as one that would have been unimaginable just over a year ago.
While the Conversation termed her approach while dealing with government officials as candour and civility compared to Magufuli’s abrasive leadership style, Suluhu has been careful to upset the old guards, and she appointed Jakaya Kikwete’s son as a minister in her cabinet.
She now says that she is eyeing the 2025 presidential election, saying she will go for the top seat.