On Wednesday, March 8th, Women’s Rights Day in Tanzania will coincide with a political event. President Samia Suluhu Hassan will be the distinguished guest at a gathering hosted by the main opposition party, Chadema, in the city of Moshi, the capital of Kilimanjaro province. The female members of Chadema will receive the head of state. This marks the first time in 30 years that a Tanzanian leader has participated in an opposition rally, serving as a fresh indicator of political receptivity.
After the lifting of the ban on opposition meetings in January, now the head of state, Samia Suluhu Hassan, comes to attend a ceremony of her former rivals. This is almost unheard of in Tanzanian politics. And Freeman Mbowe, the national president of the Chadema party, will be there to welcome him. The man she had arrested in 2021 for “terrorism” wants to be there for this historic moment.
Before her trip, Samia Suluhu Hassan, who also serves as the leader of the Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the ruling political party, had made a public declaration regarding the nature of her association with the opposition. She asserted that she does not view the opposition as an adversary, and instead, recognizes their role in shedding light on the inadequacies and difficulties faced by the government that necessitate resolution. The president made these remarks on Sunday, March 5th.
Words that contrast with the attitude of his predecessor, John Magufuli, who had publicly promised to destroy the opposition until 2020. Samia Suluhu Hassan opted for the outstretched hand strategy.