Tanzania swears in Samia Suluhu Hassan as first female president

Hassan succeeds John Magufuli, whose death was announced on Wednesday

Samia Suluhu Hassan is sworn in as the sixth President of Tanzania following the death of her predecessor John Pombe Magufuli at State House in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EPA

Tanzania's new President Samia Suluhu Hassan takes oath of office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Reuters

Tanzania's new president Samia Suluhu Hassan signs a book of condolences for former president John Magufuli after being sworn in as the sixth President of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam. EPA

Tanzania's new President Samia Suluhu Hassan inspects a guard of honour mounted by the Tanzania Peoples Defense Forces after she was sworn into office. Reuters

Tanzania's new president Samia Suluhu Hassan inspects the guard of honour after being sworn in at a ceremony at State House in Dar es Salaam. AP Photo

Tanzania's new president Samia Suluhu Hassan inspects a military parade following her swearing in as the country's first female President. AFP

New Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan inspects a military parade following her swearing in as the country's first female President. AFP

Tanzania's new President Samia Suluhu Hassan walks after inspecting a guard of honour. Reuters

People watch TV showing new Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan after swearing in ceremony as the country's first female President. AFP

Tanzania's Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in as president on Friday, becoming the first female head of state in the east African country after the death of President John Magufuli.

Ms Hassan, 61, was sworn in at State House in the country's commercial capital Dar es Salaam. She assumes the presidency after Wednesday's announcement of the death of Magufuli, after a more than a two-week absence from public life that drew speculation about his health.

She becomes the only serving female head of state in Africa alongside Ethiopia's President Sahle-Work Zewde, whose role is mainly ceremonial.

Among the few other women to hold the post of president in Africa are Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who led Liberia from 2006 to 2018, and Joyce Banda of Malawi, who held office from 2012 to 2014.

A stalwart in the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, Ms Hassan rose through the ranks from local government to the national assembly over a 20-year political career.

She was named Magufuli's running mate in the 2015 presidential campaign, and the pair were re-elected in October last year in a disputed poll marred by allegations of irregularities.

Ms Hassan will have to consult the party about appointing a new vice president. Analysts say she could face pressure from powerful Magufuli allies within the CCM, who dominate intelligence and other critical aspects of government, and could try to influence her decisions.

The absence of Magufuli, Africa's most vehement Covid-19 sceptic, since February 27 fuelled speculation about his health and sparked rumours he had contracted the disease, although officials denied he was ill. Ms Hassan said he died of heart disease.

Described as a soft-spoken consensus builder, Ms Hassan will also be the country's first president born in Zanzibar, the archipelago that forms part of the union of the Republic of Tanzania.

Her leadership style is seen as a potential contrast to that of Magufuli, a brash populist who earned the nickname Bulldozer for muscling through policies and who drew criticism for his intolerance of dissent, which his government denied.