Samia Suluhu Hassan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samia Suluhu Hassan
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![]() Suluhu in 2021
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6th President of Tanzania | |
Assumed office 19 March 2021 |
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Prime Minister | Kassim Majaliwa |
Vice President | Philip Mpango |
Preceded by | John Magufuli |
Third Vice Chairperson of the African Union | |
Assumed office 15 February 2025 |
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President | Joao Lourenco |
10th Vice-President of Tanzania | |
In office 5 November 2015 – 19 March 2021 |
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President | John Magufuli |
Preceded by | Mohamed Gharib Bilal |
Succeeded by | Philip Mpango |
Minister of State for Union Affairs in the Vice President's Office | |
In office November 2010 – November 2015 |
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President | Jakaya Kikwete |
Preceded by | Muhammed Seif Khatib |
Succeeded by | January Makamba |
Member of Parliament for Makunduchi |
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In office November 2010 – July 2015 |
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Succeeded by | Ameir Timbe |
Minister of Tourism, Trade and Investment | |
In office 2005–2010 |
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President | Amani Karume |
Preceded by | Mussa Silima |
Succeeded by | Said Ali Mbarouk |
Personal details | |
Born | Makunduchi, Sultanate of Zanzibar |
27 January 1960
Political party | Chama Cha Mapinduzi |
Spouse |
Hafidh Ameir
(m. 1978) |
Children | 4, including Wanu Hafidh Ameir |
Education | Mzumbe University (AdvDip) University of Manchester (PGDip) Open University of Tanzania (MSc) |
Signature | ![]() |
Samia Suluhu Hassan (born 27 January 1960) is a leading politician from Tanzania. She became the sixth and current President of Tanzania on 19 March 2021. She is the first woman to hold this important position.
Before becoming president, she served as the Vice-President from 2015 to 2021. She took over the presidency after the death of the previous president, John Magufuli.
Samia Suluhu Hassan was born in Zanzibar. She worked as a minister in the semi-independent region of Zanzibar from 2000 to 2010. Later, she was a Member of Parliament for the Makunduchi area from 2010 to 2015. She also served as a Minister of State for Union Affairs. In 2014, she helped draft Tanzania's new constitution.
She became Tanzania's first female vice-president in 2015. This happened after she was elected with John Magufuli. They were re-elected for a second term in 2020. As president, she has worked to improve democracy and public health in Tanzania.
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Early Life and Education
Samia Suluhu Hassan was born in Sultanate of Zanzibar on 27 January 1960. Her father was a teacher. Four years later, Zanzibar joined with Tanganyika to form the country of Tanzania.
She finished her high school education in 1977. After that, she started working as an office clerk. In 1978, she married Hafidh Ameir, who worked in agriculture. They have four children, three sons and one daughter. Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, born in 1982, later became a member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives.
Samia Suluhu Hassan continued her studies part-time. In 1986, she earned a diploma in public administration. She studied at the Institute of Development Management, which is now Mzumbe University. From 1992 to 1994, she attended the University of Manchester and earned a postgraduate diploma in economics. In 2015, she received her Master of Science degree. She earned this through a program between the Open University of Tanzania and Southern New Hampshire University.
In 1988, she became a development officer for the Zanzibar government. She also worked as a project manager for the World Food Programme. In the 1990s, she was in charge of a group that managed non-governmental organizations in Zanzibar.
Political Journey
In 2000, Samia Suluhu Hassan became a special member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives. She was part of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. There, she was made Zanzibar's Minister for Youth Employment, Women and Children. In this role, she allowed new mothers to return to school. She was the only high-ranking woman minister in the cabinet at that time.
She was re-elected in 2005. Then, she was appointed as the Minister for Tourism and Trade Investment.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 2010, Suluhu ran for election to the National Assembly. She represented the Makunduchi area and won by a large margin. President Jakaya Kikwete then appointed her as the Minister of State for Union Affairs. In 2014, she was chosen to be the Vice-Chairperson of the group that was writing the country's new constitution.
Vice President of Tanzania
Samia Suluhu Hassan was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate for the CCM party in the 2015 Tanzanian general election. She ran alongside presidential candidate John Magufuli. Her selection was a surprise, as she was the first female running mate in the party's history. They won the election and were sworn in on 5 November 2015. This made Suluhu the first female Vice-President of Tanzania.
Suluhu and Magufuli were re-elected in the 2020 Tanzanian general election.
President of Tanzania
Taking Office
On 17 March 2021, Suluhu announced that President Magufuli had passed away. She was sworn in as president on 19 March 2021. She took office to complete the rest of his second term. Immediately after being sworn in, she reviewed troops in a military parade. In her first speech as president, she announced three weeks of mourning for Magufuli.
President Suluhu chose Minister of Finance Philip Mpango as her vice-president. She also made changes to her government. She brought back people who had been removed by the previous president. She also worked with former president Jakaya Kikwete to strengthen her position.
When she became president, Suluhu was the first female president of Tanzania. She was also the second person from Zanzibar to hold the position. At that time, she was one of only two serving female heads of state in Africa.
Leading the Country
When Suluhu became president, the COVID-19 pandemic was still a major issue. She changed the country's approach to the pandemic. She joined Tanzania in the COVAX program to get COVID-19 vaccines. This started in July 2021. She also allowed embassies to bring in vaccines for their staff.
President Suluhu has promised to finish major development projects started by the previous government. She has also approved new projects. These include building a railway line, a hydropower plant, and providing electricity and clean water in rural areas.
In early 2021, Suluhu filmed a movie called The Royal Tour. This movie aimed to promote tourism and attract investors to Tanzania. In September 2021, she spoke at the United Nations General Assembly. In January 2022, she reorganized her cabinet. She wanted to ensure it included people loyal to her.
Suluhu has adopted a more international approach. She wants to attract investors and tourists. In 2022, she attended Expo 2020 to promote Tanzanian products. She signed a business deal with Dubai. She has also taken a neutral stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In 2022, Time magazine named Suluhu among the top 100 most influential people in the world. She is expected to run for re-election in the 2025 Tanzanian general election.
Her Leadership Style
Many observers describe Suluhu as "soft-spoken." She has also mentioned her quiet nature. She is known for working with her advisors rather than making decisions alone. She is sometimes called Mama Samia, which shows respect. Suluhu has highlighted her femininity as part of her presidency. She believes it helps create political unity.
When she became president, many saw her as a leader who would bring more democracy. She took steps to increase freedom of speech and freedom of the press. These actions aimed to reverse previous policies and improve Tanzania's global image. She released political prisoners and met with opposition leaders. She also reopened newspapers that had been closed. In 2023, she lifted a ban on political rallies.
However, some critics say she has not challenged all authoritarian laws. She chose not to change the constitution when she took office. She said the economy was not strong enough for such changes.
Reelection Campaign
In January 2025, the CCM party nominated Suluhu as its presidential candidate. She will run in the 2025 Tanzanian general election in October.
Awards and Recognition
Honours
Year | Country | Order |
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2023 | ![]() |
Order of South Africa |
2024 | ![]() ![]() |
Order of the Revolution for Leaders with Unique Characteristics |
2025 | ![]() |
Order of the Mother of the Nation |
Awards
- 2022: Africa Road Builders – Babacar Ndiaye Trophy
- 2022: CARE International – CARE Impact Award for Women's Inspirational Leadership
- 2023: Key to the City of Lilongwe
- 2023: Ranked in Forbes list of "World's 100 most powerful women".
Honorary Academic Awards
Year | University | Country | Honour |
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2022 | University of Dar es Salaam | ![]() |
Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) (Honoris Causa) |
2023 | Jawaharlal Nehru University | ![]() |
Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) |
2023 | State University of Zanzibar | ![]() |
Doctor of Philosophy in Tourism Management and Marketing (Honoris Causa) |
2024 | Ankara University | ![]() |
Honorary Doctorate in Economics (Honoris Causa) |
2024 | Korea Aerospace University | ![]() |
Doctor of Philosophy in Aviation Management (Honoris Causa) |
2024 | Mzumbe University | ![]() |
Honoris causa |
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2022 | The Royal Tour Tanzania | Herself | Documentary film |
2023 | The Hidden Tanzania | Herself | Pre-production |
See also
In Spanish: Samia Suluhu para niños