New president new era

Dar es Salaam. Dr John Pombe Joseph Magufuli was yesterday sworn in as Tanzania’s fifth President and appealed to all political parties to forget the past and join him in working hard towards the development of all citizens.
“The elections are gone. And I am the only one who has been elected President,” said Dr Magufuli much to the delight of his predecessor, President Jakaya Kikwete, who called it a day after serving the country for 10 consecutive years.
“Let’s bury the hatchet among politicians and work for the good of all Tanzanians,” he told a multitude of people who witnessed his colourful inauguration at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam where Tanzania hoisted its national flag after it gained independence from Britain 54 years ago.
Dr Magufuli was speaking after he was sworn in by the Chief Justice Mohamed Othman Chande at 10.48am to become the country’s fifth president after Julius Nyerere, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Benjamin Mkapa and Kikwete.
It was shortly after 10.48am when it took split seconds for President Kikwete’s aide de camp (ADC) to change guard moving to the now crowned President Magufuli. President Kikwete, who entered into the Uhuru Stadium in an open car military van accompanied by the Chief of Defence Forces General, Davis Mwamunyange, bidding farewell to wananchi, was in a jovial mood wearing a broad smile, his trademark.
After the swearing in ceremony which was also closely watched by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Anne Makinda, religious leaders, Dr Magufuli who put on a black suit, white shirt and a red necktie looked composed as the Chief Justice presented him with the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania.
 At 10.50am, the new President was seated on a traditional chair and was presented with a spear by retired diplomat Job Lusinde and a shield by Hamad Bakari from Zanzibar, actions that were greeted by a deafening applause from tens of hundreds of people who thronged the stadium.
At 11.10am, President Magufuli and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces proceeded to the saluting Dias where he received a 21-gun salute, the national anthem and inspected an alpha shaped guard of honour mounted by the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF).
The guard of honour was alpha shaped as a sign of ushering in the new president after President Kikwete had inspected an omega shaped guard that signalled his departure.
The parade mounted by TPDF’s colourful infantry, navy and airwing units accorded the new leader with a presidential salute which went in tandem with the hoisting of the presidential flag.   
At 11.55am the audience was thrilled and left in disbelief by a dozen military aircraft fly past in honour of the newly crowned commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
“Tanzania is bigger than the elections. After the elections my new government is ready to work with all losers to develop the country,” Dr Magufuli, who clocked 56 years, last week, told his audience, including eight African presidents and several representatives of leaders and international organisations from across the world
 The inauguration ceremony which was marked by sporadic drizzles  was attended by Presidents Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique, Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Edgar Lungu of Zambia, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Jacob Zuma of South Africa.
Dr Magufuli, a chemistry engineer, said his address was basically aimed at thanking Tanzanians for electing him to the presidency, adding that he intended to present his vision for the country in the next few days.
“I have a debt to repay to Tanzanians. And this could be achieved by working hard,” said the newly inaugurated President.
“We’re here to work,” said Dr Magufuli in reference to his Kiswahili motto Hapa Kazi Tu that received a thunderous applause from his audience, including former Presidents Mwinyi and Mkapa who were vividly in their upbeat moods.
Flanked by his predecessor, President Kikwete and the Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the east African nation’s first woman Vice-President, Dr Magufuli thanked all seven candidates from various political parties who vied for the presidency but could not make it to the highest office.
“I understand there was fierce competition in the presidential race but let’s forget the past and forge ahead for the benefit of all Tanzanians,” he said.
One of the notable events was the arrival at 9am of former President Mkapa. He received a standing ovation from all corners of the stadium.
The presence of Mr Mkapa who was the country’s President between 1995 and 2005 allayed fears spread in some quarters of the social media that he was dead.
Mr Mkapa looked in good health and he spent most of the time chatting with his predecessor, President Mwinyi.
After his short address, President Magufuli left the stadium to State House at Magogoni in a dark BMW saloon car escorted by a dozen outriders in brand new powerful BMW motorcycles.
He was followed by retired President Kikwete who left the stadium in a BMW saloon car, Zimbabwean President Mugabe, Kenyan President Kenyatta and others.