President Suluhu will redefine Tanzania’s politics for the better - Journalist

Tanzania's new president Samia Suluhu Hassan will redefine the country’s politics for the better because she will most likely not want to walk the contested, controversial, complex and complicated path of her predecessor John Pombe Magufuli.

This is the view of Khalifa Said, a freelance investigative journalist based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He spoke to GhanaWeb in an exclusive interview on the aftermath of Magufuli's death.

“I am optimistic that President Samia Suluhu will redefine the country’s politics for the better and it is for her own good. She has the advantage of a history because she learnt of the mistakes her predecessors commit

“And I don’t think that she will be so stupid to commit the same mistakes Magufuli committed,” he added.

Khalifa also hailed the conciliatory tone that Suluhu exuded in her inauguration speech, pointing out her call that there was no need for skepticism but confidence in the journey ahead.

“I want to believe that she means those words,” Khalifah said.

On the issue of whether the ruling party will meddle in her leadership, Khalifah posited: “That is something very less likely to occur because there is no precedent.

“If Samia S decides to identify herself with the citizens of this country, no one in the ruling party will be willing to go against her because that will pit the party against the citizens,” he concluded.