Samia Suluhu Hassan

Lore & Background

A native of Zanzibar, Suluhu served as a minister in the semi-autonomous region from 2000 to 2010. She was a Member of Parliament for Makunduchi from 2010 to 2015 and Minister of State in the Vice-President's Office for Union Affairs from 2010 to 2015. In 2014, she was elected vice-chairperson of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution.

She became Tanzania's first female vice-president after the 2015 general election on the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) ticket with Magufuli, and they were re-elected in 2020. As president, she implemented policies to limit the spread of COVID-19, expanded infrastructure, and globalized the economy through investors and tourism. In the 2025 Tanzanian general election, her CCM government banned the main opposition party, Chadema, from taking part; the leader, Tundu Lissu, was charged with treason and arrested.

The election was marred by violence and irregularities, leading to protests. Early in her presidency she had a positive image as a reformer, but by early 2024–2025 she dropped that image. As of 2026, her rule is increasingly viewed by scholars, independent observers, and media as authoritarian, with Tanzania sliding into a dictatorial-style governance.

Reader's Guide

Suluhu was born in the Sultanate of Zanzibar on 27 January 1960. She completed secondary education in 1977 and worked as an office clerk. In 1978, she married Hafidh Ameir; they have three sons and one daughter. She earned an advanced diploma in public administration in 1986, a postgraduate diploma in economics from the University of Manchester (1992–1994), and an MSc in Community Economic Development in 2015.

Political career

She became a development officer in 1988, a project manager at the World Food Programme, and later headed a body regulating NGOs in Zanzibar. In 2000, she became a special seat member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives and was appointed Minister for Youth Employment, Women and Children, ending the prohibition on new mothers returning to school. She was re-elected in 2005 and became Minister for Tourism and Trade Investment.

In 2010, she won the Makunduchi parliamentary seat and was appointed Minister of State for Union Affairs. She was elected Vice-Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly in 2014. She became vice-presidential candidate for CCM in 2015, an unexpected choice, and was sworn in on 5 November 2015. A dispute with Magufuli emerged in 2016, but she made public statements in his support.

Ascension and swearing in

They were re-elected in 2020 amid allegations of fraud. After Magufuli's death on 17 March 2021, she was sworn in on 19 March 2021. She chose Philip Mpango as vice-president, dismissed Magufuli's closest allies, and restored positions of those removed by Magufuli. She aligned with former president Jakaya Kikwete.

She became Tanzania's first female president and second Zanzibari to hold the post. The October 2025 election consolidated her power with 97.66% of the vote, but was marred by fraud accusations and repression. The African Union's observer mission stated the election did not comply with regional or international standards.

Human rights organizations accused her government of authorizing live ammunition against civilians; Chadema claimed up to 1,000 killed, which the government denied. She reversed Magufuli's COVID-19 denialism, entered the COVAX program, and imposed quarantines. She pledged to complete Magufuli's projects and prioritized a railway line, a hydropower plant, and rural electricity and clean water. She filmed The Royal Tour to promote tourism and addressed the UN General Assembly in September 2021.

Did You Know?

• She became one of only two serving female heads of state in Africa at the time of her swearing-in.