President Samia Suluhu is Tanzania’s first female President. Decades before she became the country’s president, she worked as a development officer in the Zanzibar Government. She was also the project manager for the United Nations World Food programme and later the executive director of an umbrella body governing a non-governmental organization in Zanzibar. She also previously served as a minister for youth employment, women and children and has spoken publicly for Tanzanian women to pursue their dreams.

On Friday, the 2nd of December was the independence day of Tanzanians and $445,000 dollars had been budgeted for the celebration. The president, however, thought the extravagance was unnecessary and decided to divert the money allocated for this day into building dormitories for children with special needs in primary schools around the country. The funds will be channeled to the school through the president’s office. 

On Monday, the 5th of December, the country’s minister of state, George Simbachawene announced that the money has already been disbursed. He said that in lieu of having parades and other national celebrations, the country will commemorate Independence Day by having public dialogues on development. He stated “ the debates and conferences will be preceded by various schedules for regional district leaders to carry out social activities in different areas including cleaning hospitals, schools, elderly homes and groups with special needs”.

This is however, not the first time the country is skipping an independence day celebration. In 2015, the then president John Magufuli diverted the funds towards building of a road in Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial capital. In 2020 again, he did the same and directed that the budget be used to support medical facilities.