Dar es Salaam. On the night of March 17, 2021, the then Vice President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, announced the death of President John Pombe Magufuli.
The news sent shockwaves across the nation, accompanied by a pressing question: “How will the country move forward?”
The passing of a sitting president was unprecedented in Tanzania. Article 37(5) of the Tanzanian Constitution stipulates that if the president dies, resigns, loses electoral legitimacy, or is incapacitated, the Vice President shall be sworn in for the remainder of the term. The new president then appoints a Vice President, subject to parliamentary approval.
With Magufuli’s passing, Samia Suluhu Hassan was constitutionally next in line. However, concerns arose, largely centred on her being a woman. She was Tanzania’s first female Vice President and, now, its first female President.
Dr Magufuli, known for his bold vision, left behind several major projects, many of which remained incomplete, including the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant (JNHPP), the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), and the Kigongo-Busisi Bridge.
Questions about their completion now fell to Ms Hassan. Could she deliver?
On March 19, 2021, when Samia Suluhu Hassan took the presidential oath, Tanzania was facing economic and political turbulence. Opposition leaders, such as Tundu Lissu, Godbless Lema, and Ezekia Wenje, had fled the country, and the nation was battling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite these challenges, she rose to the occasion.
From March 2021 to May 2022—a period of one year, two months, and four days—Time magazine listed President Hassan among the 100 most influential people in the world, describing her leadership as a “tonic.”
By January 2024, the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) reported record collections of Sh2.77 trillion for December 2023, the highest since its inception in 1995.
Infrastructure projects initiated under Magufuli progressed under Samia’s leadership: the JNHPP was completed, the SGR continued to expand toward Kigoma, and the Busisi Bridge was finished.
International institutions, including the World Bank, IMF, and African Development Bank, praised her handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Her policy decisions, such as the approval of vaccines and economic recovery measures, helped restore positive growth, with GDP rising from below 4 percent in 2021 to 4.6 percent in 2022 and projected to reach 5.5 percent in 2025.
Political reforms under President Hassan, such as lifting the ban on public rallies, enabled the return of exiled opposition leaders and the establishment of commissions to safeguard democracy.
Social measures included increasing higher education allowances, making education free up to Form Six, constructing new schools, raising public sector salaries after years of stagnation, and increasing the agricultural budget to spur irrigation.
Road networks have also expanded, surpassing the mileage completed under former President Jakaya Kikwete.
Early life and education
Born on January 27, 1960, in Kizimkazi, Makunduchi, Zanzibar, Ms. Hassan’s father, Suluhu Hassan, was a teacher, prompting her to attend primary schools across Unguja and Pemba.
She completed her primary education at Chwaka, Ziwani, and Mahonda primary schools. Her secondary education included studies at Ng’ambo and Lumumba Schools.
President Hassan holds diplomas and advanced degrees in statistics, leadership, public administration, and economics.
Her higher education includes studies at Mzumbe University, the University of Manchester, and a joint program with Southern New Hampshire University in the U.S. She has also earned certificates from institutions in Pakistan, India, and the Eastern and Southern African Leadership Centre.
Career and political rise
Ms Hassan began her career as a clerical officer in the Zanzibar Development Office and later worked with the UN World Food Programme. She entered civil society through Azaki, ultimately becoming the Executive Director of the Zanzibar NGO Network.
In 2000, she entered politics, winning a special seat in the Zanzibar House of Representatives under the CCM. She served as Minister for Youth, Employment, Women, and Children, then as Minister for Tourism, Trade, and Investment.
In 2010, she won the Makunduchi parliamentary seat and was appointed Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office for Union and Environment.
She later chaired the Constitutional Review Special Committee in 2014 and became CCM’s running mate in the 2015 General Election.
Samia was sworn in as Vice President on November 5, 2015, and re-elected in 2020. On March 19, 2021, she assumed the presidency following Magufuli’s death.
Honours
President Samia has been awarded three honorary doctorates: from the University of Dar es Salaam (2022) for Humanities and Social Sciences, from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India (2023) for strengthening ties with India and promoting economic diplomacy—making her the first woman to receive this honour—and from the State University of Zanzibar (2023) for her leadership in tourism and marketing.
She is now formally addressed as Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan. As she campaigns for the 2025 general election, seeking a five-year term, her leadership continues to draw attention both nationally and internationally.
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