Samia reveals why she named a lion after opposition leader Tundu Lissu

Dar es Salaam. In a light-hearted moment during the Kizimkazi Festival, President Samia Suluhu Hassan revealed on Sunday, August 25, 2024 the reason behind her decision to name one of the lions at the festival's wildlife exhibition after opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

 The festival, which ended on August 25, 2024, featured various events, including an exhibition showcasing live wild animals.

 Speaking during the climax of the festival, President Hassan recounted how she was struck by the feisty nature of one particular lion in the exhibition.

 "Yesterday, clips were being circulated, and there was this fierce and unruly lion," she said.

 Curious to know whether the lion had been named, President Hassan asked the organizers, only to find out that it had not.

 "I told them to give it the name of my child, Tundu Lissu, because it was as restless as my child, Tundu Lissu," she said.

 The unexpected remark drew laughter and applause from the audience.

 Chadema’s Tundu Lissu, a prominent opposition leader known for his strong and outspoken stance against the government, has had a tumultuous relationship with the ruling party.

 The most recent one was a confrontation that he had had with the police in Mbeya during the commemoration of International Youth Day.

 The Kizimkazi Festival, which started as a farewell event for President Hassan in 2015 when she was appointed as the running mate to the late President John Magufuli, has since grown into a significant cultural event in Zanzibar. Officially recognized as a festival in 2020, it has become a platform for both cultural celebration and regional development.

 This year's festival, held from August 18 to 25, featured various activities that highlighted the rich cultural heritage of Zanzibar and the development projects in the Kizimkazi area.