His Excellency Dr John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, was on 5th November, 2020 inaugurated for his second five-year term following his landslide victory in the General Elections held on 28th October, 2020 in which he amassed 84.4 percent of the total valid votes cast.
In his inauguration speech in front of scores of international dignitaries and Tanzanian citizens who gathered at Jamhuri Stadium in the City of Dodoma, H.E. Dr Magufuli said the elections are over and called on all Tanzanians to unite and work together regardless of their tribal and political affiliations.
H.E. President Dr Magufuli pledged to continue fighting corruption, creating job opportunities and driving the country’s infrastructure development agenda in the second and final term as President.
During the inauguration ceremony, leaders took turns to pay tribute to the United Republic of Tanzania for its role in the liberation struggle for Southern African states, paving the way for the freedom many African countries enjoy today.
H.E. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, and H.E. President Emmerson Mnangagwa of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ commended the founding President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Julius Kambarage Nyerere for championing Pan-Africanism and providing material and moral support to the liberation movements which led to the independence of many Southern African States, and applauded President Dr Magufuli and Tanzanians for living his legacy, and sustaining peace and unity.
H.E. President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed gratitude to President Dr Magufuli for his unwavering support to the regional call for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. He said under the leadership of H.E. Dr Magufuli as the Chairperson of SADC, the region set aside 25 October as the day for the SADC Region to stand in solidary in calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
In their statements, H.E. President Museveni, H.E. Azali Assoumani of the Union of Comoros and the Vice President of the Republic of Botswana, His Honour, Slumber Tsogwane, called on African countries to continue with the spirit of solidarity and togetherness demonstrated by Tanzania during the struggle for independence.
Before the inauguration, the Executive Secretary of SADC, H.E. Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, who joined other dignitaries at the inauguration ceremony, congratulated H.E. President Dr. Magufuli on being inaugurated for the second term after a historic landslide victory and assured the President of SADC’s continued support during the second term of his presidency.
Born in 1959, H.E. Dr John Magufuli was first elected as the fifth President of United Republic of Tanzania in 2015 together with H.E. Samia Hassan Suluhu as the first-ever female Vice-President to serve the country under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
In the 2020 General Elections, H.E. Dr Magufuli defeated 14 other presidential candidates to secure a second term in office, according to the National Electoral Commission of Tanzania. H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi of the CCM was elected H.E. President of Zanzibar.
H.E. Dr Magufuli served as the SADC Chairperson from August 2019 to August 2020 where he rallied SADC regional leaders towards deepening regional integration, cooperation and development before handing over the Chairpersonship to H.E. President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi of the Republic of Mozambique.
Former Presidents of the United Republic of Tanzania H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and H.E. Alhaji Ali Hassan Mwinyi, and former President of Zanzibar, H.E. Ali Mohamed Shein and other high ranking former and present attended the inauguration ceremony in a tradition that has demonstrated political unity