Samia Hassan Suluhu, 61, is poised to become the sixth President of Tanzania and the first female president in the entire East Africa, if all goes according to constitutional plans, following the death of President John Pombe Magufuli.

Suluhu ascended to become Tanzania's first-ever female VP after becoming Magufuli's running mate in the 2015 General Election.

She is a Tanzanian politician under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and was born on January 27, 1960 in the Sultanate of Zanzibar.

She is set to be sworn in to power, even though the Tanzanian Constitution is not clear on the exact period in which a Vice President should be sworn into office after a President dies.

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Late John Magufuli and Samia Suluhu. PHOTO/COURTESY

Part 1, Section 37 (5) of the Constitution titled ‘The Executive of the United Republic of Tanzania’ states:

“Where the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, loss of electoral qualifications or inability to perform his functions due to physical infirmity, or failure to discharge the duties and functions of the office of President, then the Vice-President shall be sworn in and become the President for the unexpired period of the term of five years and in accordance with the conditions set out in Article 40, and, after consultation with the political party to which he belongs, the President shall propose the name of the person who shall be Vice-President and such appointment shall be confirmed by the National Assembly by votes of not less than fifty percentum of all the Members of Parliament.”

Suluhu has represented Tanzania at most international meetings including all UN, AU, SADC and EAC meetings that have been held outside Tanzania.

Samia Suluhu. PHOTO/COURTESY

She went to school in Zanzibar and studied statistics at the Zanzibar Institute of Financial Administration then got employed by the Ministry of Planning and Development as a clerk.

She joined Mzumbe University in 1986 for advanced studies in Public Administration then joined the Institute of Management for Leaders, Hyderabad in India for a management course.

Suluhu later joined the University of Manchester for a postgraduate diploma in economics and in 2005 did her master’s degree in community economic development through.

Suluhu was first elected as a Zanzibar House of Representative member for a special seat in the year 2000, and appointed a Minister by then Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume.

She was elected overwhelmingly to the National Assembly in 2010 as MP for Makunduchi Constituency.

In 2014, President Jakaya Kikwete appointed her minister of State for Union matters in the VP’s office and was also elected the Vice Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly that was drafting the country’s new constitution.

Suluhu got married to Hafidh Ameir in 1978 and they have three sons and a daughter.

Ameir is a retired agricultural officer and their daughter Mwanu Hafidh Ameir has followed in her mother’s footsteps and is a member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives.