By Patricia Angel T,
PARROTS UG|POLITICS:
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has confirmed her position to contest for presidency come 2025.
Suluhu made the remarks last week on Wednesday at an event in Dar es Salaam to mark the International Day of Democracy.
She said her appointment to presidency was by the Grace of God and constitutional expressing ambitions to become the country’s first directly elected president.
“This president (her) is leading because of God’s wish and constitutional requirements,” President Samia said adding that she is experienced in leadership.
“I have used the first six months in office to learn. I was the vice president before, but during that time I did not get the chance to acquaint myself on ‘inner’ operations, now I have,”
“During that time some of you took my calmness for weakness and did as you pleased. But I am glad that some of you performed well. As we move forward, the government will be led solely on strong action and not noise,” she added.
She urged Tanzanian women to join forces to ensure a woman candidate wins the vote outright in the next presidential election.
“We have favoured men to become presidents for far too long. God has given us this special opportunity… if we don’t grab it with both hands it will become like a curse upon us (women),” she said.
Suluhu is committed to recruit more women to positions of leadership as a way of bridging the gender gap.
In Tanzania, women occupy 46 percent of regional administrative secretaries, 43 percent of judges, and 44 per cent of district commissioners.
President Samia also ordered a professional women’s database to be availed to her for consultation in making future appointments, asserting that some important information was hard to come by via government agencies.
President Samia was vice-president during former president John Magufuli’s five-and-a-half year tenure and became president by constitutional decree following his death in March. According to the Tanzanian Constitution, since by October 2025 she will have served more than two-thirds of what would have been the late Magufuli’s second term as president, she is eligible to run for only one term of elective office.
