Dr. John Pombe Magufuli sworn in as Tanzanias fifth President

Dr. John Pombe Magufuli Joseph has been sworn in as Tanzania’s fifth President.

The colourful event that took place at the Uhuru Grounds in Temeke, Dar es Salaam saw Dr. Magufuli and his Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan take oath of office.

Magufuli becomes the fifth President of the United Republic of Tanzania and takes over from Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete who has served the maximum two-five-year terms.

Magufuli and Suluhu are now tasked with the responsibility of protecting and upholding the country’s constitution and the Laws of Tanzania.

In his oath, Dr. Magufuli said he will execute his duties diligently, without discrimination whatsoever, and in accordance with the Laws of and traditions of Tanzania.

Suluhu becomes the first ever woman Vice President in the East African country.

Dr. Magufuli beat seven other candidates to emerge winner in what was termed as the hottest contest in the country’s political history.

Magufuli was elected on a Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s (CCM) ticket after garnering 8,882,935 votes against his closest challenger Edward Ngoyai Lowassa of the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) who garnered 6,072,848.

Several African Heads of States including President Uhuru Kenyatta, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Burundi’s Pierre Nkurunziza and Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe attended the inauguration of Dr. Magufuli.

Magufuli last week promised to speed up economic growth and development in the East African nation, a day after he was declared winner of a presidential vote that his opponent rejected as rigged.

Magufuli’s ruling CCM party faced its toughest electoral challenge in more than half century in power, after the main opposition parties united for Sunday’s vote around a single candidate for the first time, Edward Lowassa.

62 year old Lowassa, a former prime minister who defected from the ruling party in July, rejected the electoral commission’s declaration, saying the opposition’s own count based on its representatives at polling stations showed he won.

Both candidates had promised to create more jobs and drive up economic growth in a nation that has vast tracts of agricultural land, a wealth of mineral resources and huge gas reserves but has struggled to make a bigger dent on poverty.

“I pledge to build a new Tanzania with faster economic development. This is the real change that people want to see,” said 56 year old Magufuli, who was the public works minister, told supporters after receiving a victory certificate from the electoral body.

Magufuli said Tanzanians should be ready for real change and a working nation.

While making his victory speech outside Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s (CCM) Dar Es Salaam office last week, Dr. Magufuli said laziness and poor service delivery – especially in the public service sector, must come to an end.

Putting corrupt officials on notice, he stated that he was aware that some individuals have been embezzling public funds and using other under-dealings to make money.

He said that his victory is a clear indication that war on graft has officially started and whoever has stolen public funds must pay up before his administration catches up with them.

Magufuli, who has been nicknamed Tinga (meaning tractor), for his performance record during his reign as a Cabinet Minister, said the position he is assuming will earn him friends and foes in equal measure since he will touch very highly ranked personalities in the government and private sector who have been accused or associated with graft.

Dr. Magufuli, said that corruption has cost the country billions of shillings, and Tanzania needs a courageous person to fight the vice.