President Samia Suluhu Hassan is flanked by the Minister of State in the President’s Office [Public Services Management and Good Governance], Ms Jenista Mhagama (left), and the minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Stergomena Tax (right), in this file photo. President Hassan has appointed women in key ministries. PHOTO | FILE
Summary
· President Hassan’s rise to power also provides a role model for young girls and women who may have previously felt excluded from socioeconomic processes
Dar es Salaam. The swearing-in of Tanzania’s first female president on
March 19, 2021, was a significant milestone for the country’s gender
mainstreaming agenda. Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ascendancy to the presidency sent a
strong statement about the leadership potential of women and the importance of
giving them equal opportunity to effectively contribute to the development of the
nation.
Ms Hassan’s rise to power also
provides a role model for young girls and women who may have previously felt
excluded from the social, political and economic process.
In a community where there are still
differences in access to fundamental rights between men and women, President
Hassan had to hit the ground running to show the world that being born a girl
or a boy had nothing to do with someone’s leadership acumen.
And that is precisely what she meant
when she told the BBC in an August 2021 interview that she would embark on a
leadership style that would tell the world that women make better presidents.
“Some don’t believe that women can
be better presidents, and we are here to show them... Even some in my
government dismissed me at first as just another woman, but they soon accepted
my leadership,” President Samia is quoted as having said.
“But this is not just in Africa;
even in America, [Hillary] Clinton reached a place where we thought she was
going to be the president, but she lost the election,” she added.
In an apparent desire to show the
world that women can effectively lead, President Hassan has more than once
appointed competent women to lead what are considered key ministries of the
government.
Read: Women leadership, political
participation agenda under Samia
For example, the appointment of a
woman as the Minister of Health can help to ensure that women’s health needs
are prioritised and that policies and programmes are developed with a
gender-sensitive approach.
Read: Samia ponders separate ministry
for gender, women’s issues
That position is currently held by
Ms Ummy Mwalimu, who, among other things, spearheaded President Samia’s ‘health
first’ approach towards the handling of Covid-19 and the roll-out of vaccines
across Tanzania.
President Hassan’s approach to
handling the pandemic has been vastly different from her predecessor’s. Her
data-driven approach to testing, commitment to vaccine distribution, and
collaboration with regional and international partners have contributed to Tanzania’s
efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, and Ms Mwalimu has played her role
effectively in that area.
Presently, President Hassan’s
cabinet consists of nine women.
With economic diplomacy at the top
of the President’s agenda, the person manning the Foreign Affairs and East
African Cooperation docket is Dr Stergomena Tax. Apart from strengthening East
African Community (EAC) integration, Tanzania has also improved relations with
other countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well
as Europe, Asia and America.
Before taking the position, Dr Tax
was the 6th Sadc executive secretary and the first woman to hold the docket.
President Hassan has also put the
ministry of Land, Housing, and Human Settlements Development under the custody
of Dr Angelina Mabula, and that of Industry and Trade under Dr Ashatu Kijaji.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s
approach to increasing investment, trade, and manufacturing in Tanzania has
been proactive and business-friendly.
Dr Kijaji has been a key figure in
translating President’s policies and initiatives to streamline the investment
process, improve infrastructure, promote local entrepreneurship, and attract
foreign investors. She has created a favourable business environment that has
attracted significant interest from both local and international investors.
Read: Shouldn’t Mama Samia
stress gender equality?
The government, through the Trade
and Industry Ministry, has also been providing financial support and incentives
to local entrepreneurs to invest in various sectors of the economy, including
agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing.
Other key figures in the government
include the Minister of State in the President’s Office for Public Services
Management and Good Governance, Ms Jenista Mhagama, Minister of State in the
President’s Office, Administration, and Local Government, Ms Angellah Kairuki,
and the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth,
Employment, and Persons with Disabilities), Prof Joyce Ndalichako.
The minister for Community
Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima as well as
the new minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports Dr Pindi Chana.
The trend of women leading top
government jobs as ministers is a positive development that reflects the
growing recognition of women’s contributions to society.
Women leaders bring unique
perspectives and experiences to the table and have demonstrated their ability
to make important decisions and shape public policy.
President Hassan has been praised
for her efforts to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, including
through the appointment of women to key government positions.
In addition to political leadership,
women in Tanzania have also made significant contributions to social and
economic development. For example, women-led organizations have played a key
role in promoting education and healthcare, particularly in rural areas where
access to these services is limited. Women entrepreneurs have also been
instrumental in promoting economic growth and development, including through
the creation of small businesses and the promotion of sustainable agriculture.
Executive Director at Tanzania Media
Women’s Association (Tamwa), Dr Rose Reuben, said the way President Hassan runs
Tanzania is a clear testimony to the fact that women can take up top leadership
positions and successfully do the job.
“Her two years in power are evidence
that women can. She had successfully led Tanzania and achieved milestones in
different sectors of the economy,” she said.
Dr Reuben said this also implies
that it is not that women are incapable but rather that the system is holding
them back.
“The biggest challenge is the
system. Efforts by the government and stakeholders are also held back by this
system, which doesn’t allow for more gender inclusivity,” she said.
Tanzania Coach for Women in News
Program Dr Joyce Bazira said President Hassan’s rule has come with a wave of
positive change, trickled down to different sectors, not just politics, and
leadership.
“She has shown the willingness of
her government to partner with and collaborate with stakeholders, which proves
the kind of leadership she is advocating,” she said.
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