( 6 minutes read)
· The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus while congratulating Tanzania’s new president Samia Suluhu Hassan stressed that Tanzania and WHO should work towards containing the Covid-19 pandemic
· A former office clerk and a development worker, Hassan began her political career in 2000 in her native Zanzibar, an autonomous place in Tanzania
· Political analysts predict that she will not have an easy ride initially since at times her loyalty to Magufuli was uncertain.
The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus while congratulating Tanzania’s new president Samia Suluhu Hassan stressed that Tanzania and WHO should work towards containing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Upon the death of John Magufuli, Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn-in as the East African nation’s new leader. John Magufuli was a skeptic of Covid treatment calling it an act of devil and called on both Christians and Muslims to pray to get rid of the pandemic. The East African country did not publish any data on Covid 19 and the government has refused to purchase vaccines, despite calls from the World Health Organization.
Samia Suluhu Hassan (61) announced Magufuli had died from heart complications. But the rumor mill still endorses that he died of Covid.
People are eagerly looking forward to the approach of the new president on the pandemic. Samia Suluhu Hassan is a soft-spoken and veteran politician known for her seasoned approach towards addressing the issues. Her elevation to the top post was unexpected and has more than four years as the president as per the constitution of the country.
A former office clerk and a development worker, Hassan began her political career in 2000 in her native Zanzibar, an autonomous place in Tanzania. She was elected to the national assembly on mainland Tanzania and looked after important ministries. She was chosen by the deceased president as his running mate and is a part of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in 2015.
In consultation with CCM, she has to appoint a new vice president. It is expected that the party is set to hold a special meeting of its central committee today (Saturday). Political analysts predict that she will not have an easy ride initially since at times her loyalty to Magufuli was uncertain. There were instances, when the political watchers interpreted their relationship was acrimonious even leading to almost her resigning from the ministry. She may struggle to win over the people loyal to the ex-president, who was nicknamed as bulldozer. There are people who feel that her soft spoken nature and being away from the public glare can work in her favor to win over the people who were loyal to the ex-ruler. But what people are more looking at is her approach towards pandemic and the treatment roll out.
Hassan had a humble beginning.-Her father was a school teacher and her mother a housewife and graduated from high school. Since her academic performance was not good enough, she took a clerkship in a government office at 17. But she never left academics and pursued her studies while on job. Hassan had risen the ranks to become a development officer in the Zanzibar government and later a project manager for the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP). In the 1990s, she was made executive director of an umbrella body governing non-governmental organizations in Zanzibar.
She holds university qualifications from Tanzania, Britain and the United States. The mother of four has spoken publicly several times passionately to encourage Tanzanian women and girls to pursue their dreams.
