Kamala Harris' message to Tanzania's first female president Samia Suluhu Hassan

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday sent her best wishes to Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has been sworn-in as the first woman president of Tanzania. Harris, who became the first woman and first person of colour to serve as the US Vice-President, took to Twitter to wish Hassan after she was elevated to the post following COVID doubter President John Magufuli’s death. “The United States stands ready to work with you to strengthen relations between our countries,” Harris wrote on the micro-blogging platform as she wished Hassan. 

Who is Samia Hassan?

Hassan had been the Vice-President of Tanzania since 2015 under John Magufuli. Hassan was sworn-in as the first female president of the country after Magufuli died of heart disease on Wednesday. Hassan announced Magufuli’s demise and expressed her condolences to the family. After Hassan took an oath of office on Friday she urged the country to come together as one to move forward rather than pointing fingers and furthering the divide. 

Hasan had begun her career as clerk at the Ministry of Planning and Development in Tanzania. Hassan ran for public office for the first time in 2000 and was elected as a special seat member to the Zanzibar House of Representatives. In July 2015, Hassan was chosen by Magufuli as his running mate. Later the same year, Hassan became the first female Vice President of Tanzania. Both Magufuli and Hassan were re-elected in October 2020.  Apart from being the first female president of Tanzania, Hassan is also the first Zanzibari and third Muslim to hold the position. Hassan is now one of the only two female heads of state in Africa. 

Hassan faces several challenges as president, including the handling of COVID-19 outbreak, acquisition and distribution of vaccines, and dealing with internal factions in the party, who would like to capitalise after years of centralised rule under Magufuli.