Tanzania’s Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in as the country’s first female president on Friday after President John Magufuli’s sudden death, reported CGTN Africa. The 61-year-old was sworn in at State House in the country’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
“I, Samia Suluhu Hassan, promise to be honest and obey and protect the constitution of Tanzania,” said Hasaan said dressed in a black suit and red headscarf before dignitaries at the ceremony.
According to Tanzania’s constitution, if a President dies, Vice President takes over the government for the unexpired period of the term of five years. Hassan will now serve President Magufuli’s remaining five-year term, which does not expire until 2025. Magufuli was re-elected the president of Tanzania in October last year.
In a statement, the presidency said Hassan would address the nation after being sworn in and hold a cabinet meeting.
President Magufuli’s two-week absence from public events drew a lot of speculations about his health and sparked rumors that he had contracted COVID-19 although officials had denied he was ill. Hassan said he had died of heart complications on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. She said that he had been battling for the last 10 years.
In related news, Tanzania’s Government spokesman Dr. Hassan Abbas on Thursday said the funeral program for former President Magufuli has been set.
In an interview with news reporters, Dr. Abbas said there will be four separate viewing sessions taking place in Dar-es-Salaam, Dodoma, Mwanza, Geita, and Magufuli’s home, Chato, where he will be buried.
“As I said there have been many sessions, the schedule has been finalized so we expect Madam Suluhu to give a public statement on the schedule and the entire funeral procession,” the government spokesman said.
He said the roads and stadiums that will be used will all be announced soon.
