Janet Magufuli's quiet life in the State House

Dar es Salaam. Though the position of the First Lady is not an elected one and carries no official duties, some of these women eventually evolve from being mere hostesses of presidential palaces or State Houses to assume a position of influence and shaping policies in the process.

Their roles are slowly morphed into something more than mere homemakers of presidential palaces into even powerful powerhouses or even policy makers.

Some like Grace Mugabe, for instance, are outright vocal and affect even some political decisions of their spouses, while others take a permanent backseat, and are only seen in public occasionally during public functions escorting their husbands like flower girls.

Some of them waste no time. As soon as their husbands ascend to power, they slowly spin into symbols of corruption and extravagance of such leadership through foreign trips and various shopping trips abroad for starters.

This demonstrates a sharp contrast to the struggling citizens, who cannot afford basic commodities as these women waste public resources to fund their ostentatious lifestyles. However, most of the First Ladies we have in Africa, for instance, have taken up the role of reaching out to the less privileged through various initiatives that they either develop or adopt.

Though some of the projects impact greatly on communities, some are either for public relations or aimed at boosting their spouses’ political standing.

The list of such First Ladies is as endless as these development initiatives.

One of such women who hit the ground running with such an initiative is Salma Kikwete, the fourth First lady of Tanzania and wife of former president Jakaya Kikwete, who served from December 2005 to October 2015.

Salma, a former teacher, was very proactive as far as the HIV/Aids war was concerned, right from the moment she stepped into State House. She became the Vice President of the Eastern Region of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against Aids (OAFLA).

She also joined other prominent figures and partnered with Unesco and UNAIDS to support the Eastern and Southern Africa Commitment on HIV Prevention and Sexual Health for Young People. She also founded Wanawake na Maendeleo (Wama), an organisation promoting children and women’s development.

Her predecessor, Anna Mkapa, wife to Tanzania’s third president Benjamin Mkapa was renown for her war on malaria, which won her the prestigious First Lady Malaria Advocate of the Year (2006) award.

However, little can be said of our own Janet Magufuli, who has taken a very low profile and has only made very few public appearances since her husband took reign of this East African nation.

Many are wondering whether she will take over the Wama office or just remain quite as far as her role is concerned. On one occasion, President John Magufuli said he disbanded the presidential nutrition unit since he eats the food cooked by his wife.

And while meeting CCM supporters in Dar es Salaam after his election, the President said in his community, women take the backseat and support their husbands from behind. This brought to the limelight what her role would be or whether she would just remain as the State House manager, raise her family and silently support her husband.

As Magufuli marks 100 days in office, we are all waiting to see if Janet will indeed play any significant role in this country.

‘Too early to judge’

However, some analysts opine that it is still too early to judge. Tanzania Gender Network Programme (TGNP) Executive Director Lilian Liundi points out that some people take long time to decide what they want to do and Janet could be such a person.

“She might have been strategising and planning what to do,” says Ms Liundi.

She, however, says that Mrs Magufuli should now come out and say or do something in public.

She adds that the First Lady is a role model to many, and members of the public would love to see her active.

Ms Liundi goes on to say that Mrs Magufuli might not want to follow into the footsteps of her predecessors, but is still required to play a great public role on various fronts.

“We welcome her to join our campaign about gender issues,” she says.

She recommends the country should have a special portfolio that describes the role of First Ladies.

She states that what the former First Ladies did during their spouses’ tenure is commendable but taking it with them when their time in State House ends is another subject for discussion.

“That is why there is a need for a clear statement that describes what they should perform to make it easier for the next First Lady to adopt. And since she has already created a certain public profile locally and internationally, she will get support even if she wishes to pursue such endevours after State House,” she adds.

Other commentators seem to share the same sentiments saying Mrs Magufuli is not obliged to do things like her predecessors. Prof Gaudens Mpangala, a political analyst from Ruaha Catholic University says Mrs Magufuli is free to do whatever she feels like doing.

“This depends on the discussion between herself, her husband and their advisors…they know what best suits her. There is no law in the country that directs what a First Lady should do,” says Prof Mpangala.

What other First Ladies are doing

From fairytale and feudalism, if you have a King you need a Queen. If you have a President you must have a First Lady, but they are not bound by the law to do certain things.

For example, Sara Macaulay, the wife of former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the one-time public relations career girl has all but vanished from the public stage.

Unlike her predecessor, Cherie Blair (wife of Tony Blair) – who tried to be simultaneously a career woman, a private mother and a public hanger on the arm of her husband in his international travels – Sarah Brown was more of a stay at home mum.

Since her rather nervy appearance at Gordon’s side when he arrived at No. 10 Downing Street, she has kept herself, and her children, out of the camera shot.

Another political analyst, Dr Mwesigwa Baregu, says Mrs Magufuli can choose anything she deems fit to do.

“Even if she decides to remain a family mother…because if we remember Mama Maria Nyerere did not do what the recent two former First Ladies did, and that did not take her reputation,” he says.

He adds that she can choose to continue with her career as a teacher but do it differently – by being an education ambassador to help her husband campaign for quality education in the country. He, however, seems to agree with the rest on one thing - what Mrs Magufuli did during 100 days of her husband’s tenure is still difficult to describe since she has stayed out of the limelight save for the few occasions that she has appeared besides her husband in public gatherings.

“She has been quiet, and it is difficult to say the role she played. We have seen her a few times with her husband in some of the public gatherings,” Dr Baregu notes adding that she might have chosen to be unique…keeping herself away from the camera.