Orange Democratic Party leader Raila Odinga has passed his congratulatory message to the newly sworn in Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Hassan became Tanzania's sixth president after taking the oath of office on Friday morning, March 19 in a ceremony held at State House Dar es Salaam.
"History has been made this morning in the East Africa region. Congratulations Samia Suluhu Hassan on taking office as the first female President of Tanzania. Mama Ida and I pray for your success in the great task ahead of leading your people and strengthening historic ties between our nations," Odinga said in a press statement.
Odinga, who was a close friend of fallen President John Magufuli, had called for a peaceful transfer of power amid speculations that there was an attempt to bypass Hassan in the constitutional order of succession.
President Suluhu has taken over to the presidency of Tanzania after the demise of President Magufuli who passed on due to what was described as heart complications at Mzena Hospital, Dar es Salaam on Wednesday March 17.
His former VP will now complete the remainder of the term for the unexpired period of 5 years that ends in 2025 and will still be eligible to run for another term under the Tanzanian Constitution.
The swearing in ceremony was attended by top government officials including Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi, the former president Jakaya Kikwete among others.
"I, Samia Suluhu Hassan swear to fulfill my duty as the President of Republic of Tanzania, Oh God help me," she swore.
After the swearing in, President Suluhu inspected the guard of honour as the new Commander in Chief of the Republic of Tanzania.
Addressing the nation, she announced that the late President would be buried in Chato Town,Tanzania on Thursday March 25, 2021.She declared the day to be a national holiday.
Starting on Saturday March 20, the body will be viewed in four regions namely; Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mwanza, and Chato in Geita where he will be laid to rest.
The new head of state passed her condolences to the whole nation and especially to Janet Magufuli, the wife of the deceased.
Tanzania’s leading English newspaper, The Citizen, said a high-level meeting of Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s Central Committee will convene after the swearing-in ceremony to pick a new vice president.
The Vice president should be a Christian as the law dictates if the president is a Muslim then the Vice president should be a Christian and vice versa.
President Suluhu was born in Muslim family in the Sultanate of Zanzibar on January 27, 1960. She is married to Hafidh Ameir, a retired agricultural officer. Together they have 4 kids; 3 sons and a daughter - who is also in Politics.
Self-exiled Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu exuded confidence in the country’s new president.
Speaking to Kenya’s television station, KTN, from Belgium on Thursday March 18, Lissu said that President Suluhu has a different vision for Tanzania from that of the late President John Magufuli.
“I don’t think the temperament is the same. I don’t think the vision is the same…I served with both in the National Assembly for five years from 2010 to 2015. I was in the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Committee. She was my minister and I know her well enough to know she is temperamentally different” said Lissu of Suluhu.
The last time a woman ran a country in East Africa was in 1994, when Agathe Uwilingiyimanain served as Prime Minister of Rwanda from July 18 1993 until her death on April 7 1994.
