Tanzania’s Vice President, Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in as the country’s first female President, after the sudden death of John Magufuli.

Wearing a red hijab, she took her oath of office on the Qur’an in a ceremony at State House in the East African country’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

In her first public address as President, the 61-year-old leader announced 21 days of mourning for Magufuli. She declared 22^nd March a public holiday, along with March 25, the day the late president will be buried.

“It’s not a good day for me to talk to you because I have a wound in my heart. Today I have taken an oath different from the rest that I have taken in my career. Those were in happiness. Today I took the highest oath of office in mourning.”
Samia Suluhu Hassan

Tanzanian musicians come together to create music in honor of their late President

She also called for all Tanzanians to work to unite the nation.

“This is the time to stand together and connect. It’s time to bury our differences, show love to one another and look forward with confidence.

“This is a time to bury our differences, and be one as a nation. It is not the time to point fingers at each other but to hold hands and move forward to build the new Tanzania that President Magufuli aspired to.”

TanzaniaSamia — Some Tanzanians watch watch the swearing in of new Tanzanian President Hassan. Image: AFP

The new President assured Tanzanians that Magufuli “who always liked teaching” had prepared her for the task ahead.

“Nothing shall go wrong.”.
Samia Suluhu Hassan assured

Samia Suluhu Hassan

Aside being Tanzania’s first female President,Samia Suluhu Hassan is also the first leader to be born in Zanzibar. The Zanzibar Archipelago is a semi-autonomous island in the Indian Ocean, that forms part of the Republic of Tanzania.

She rose through the ranks over a 20-year political career from local government to the national assembly. She was also Magufuli’s running mate in the 2015 presidential campaign, on the ticket of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM)

They were re-elected despite allegations of irregularities in October last year’s elections,

According to Tanzania’s constitution, the Vice President serves the remainder of the term of a president who dies in office.

The constitution also states that after consultation with their party, the new president will propose a deputy. The National Assembly has to confirm the choice with no fewer than 50% of its votes.

Her leadership style is seen as a potential contrast from Magufuli, a brash populist who earned the nickname “Bulldozer”. He got the name because he was said to muscle through policies and often drew criticism for his intolerance of dissent.

Arbitrary arrests, suspension of critical television and radio stations marred Magufuli’s six-year-rule, according to rights groups.