CELEBRATES THE FIRST MUSLIM FEMALE PRESIDENT : SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN

CELEBRATES THE FIRST MUSLIM FEMALE PRESIDENT : SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN 

On Wednesday evening she had the task of announcing to Tanzanians that President John Magufuli had died and now Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan has taken his place as the country's head of state.

Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in as Tanzania's first female president following the death of John Magufuli. The former vice president may cut a different leadership figure than her predecessor.

Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in as Tanzania's president at State House in Dar es Salaam on Friday, making history as the first woman to hold the top job in the East African country.

Samia Suluhu Hassan is also the country's first president born in semi-autonomous Zanzibar. She attended school at a time when very few Tanzanian girls were offered the opportunity of an education outside the traditional roles of wife and homemaker. She is also a practicing Muslim.

First elected as Magufuli's running mate in 2015, she was re-elected last year along with him and, according to the constitution, she should serve out the rest of the five-year term in the top job.

She becomes Africa's only current female national leader - the Ethiopian presidency is a largely ceremonial role - and joins a short list of women on the continent to have run their countries.

The 61-year-old is affectionately known as Mama Samia - in Tanzanian culture that reflects the respect she is held in, rather than reducing her to a gendered role.

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