Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed her own daughter to the Cabinet, as well as the daughter’s husband.
Samia named 27 ministers and 29 deputy ministers in a televised address on Monday from Chamwino State House, Dodoma, appointing the daughter Wanu Hafidh Ameir, as Deputy Minister of Education.
Wanu’s husband Mohamed Mchengerwa, was named as the new Minister for Health in the changes that saw seven senior officials, who served in the previous cabinet, lose their jobs.
Wanu, 43, is the Member of Parliament for Makunduchi Constituency in the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar, while her husband, 46, is also the Member of Parliament for Rufiji Constituency in the country’s Pwani Region.
Tanzania’s former President Jakaya Kikwete’s son, Ridhwani Kikwete, has also been appointed minister in charge of Public Service Management and Good Governance in the President’s office.
Ridhwani Kikwete, 46, is also a lawmaker of the CCM party, representing the coastal constituency of Chalinze located in Pwani Region. His father, Jakaya, the fourth president of Tanzania, is credited with pushing Samia to the helm of CCM and eventually the presidency.
Khamis Mussa Omar was appointed as the new minister for finance, succeeding Mwigulu Nchemba, who assumed the position of Prime Minister last week, while Hassan confirmed that Mahmoud Thabit Kombo will continue serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
The new Cabinet will be sworn in on Tuesday morning.
Samia’s latest appointments reflect a similar trend in the continent where presidents chose to fill close family members and relatives of key backers in their cabinet.
In neighbouring Uganda, Yoweri Museveni has had several family members and relatives in Cabinet, including the First Lady Janet Museveni as minister for education, and their daughter Natasha works in State House as Private Secretary.
The president’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugab,a is the country’s head of defence forces, while Museveni’s son-in-law Odrek Rwabogo serves as a presidential advisor. Rabwogo is married to Patience Museveni.
The head of state’s younger brother, General Caleb Akandwanaho, popularly known as Salim Saleh, serves as a presidential advisor, having previously served as minister, while their stepbrother Shedreck Nzaire, is also an advisor on defence matters.
