The President also defended the presence of four female parliamentary candidates in Mara Region, including Esther Matiko (Tarime Urban), Esther Bulaya (Bunda Urban), Mgore Kigera (Musoma Urban), and Mary Daniel (Serengeti).
Serengeti. In the heart of Tanzania’s tourism capital, CCM presidential candidate and incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan delivered a powerful message on Friday, October 10, 2025, saying: development knows no gender.
Speaking to thousands of supporters in Mugumu, Serengeti District, Mara Region, President Hassan who assumed presidential roles on March, 2021, following the sudden death of former President John Magufuli said Tanzanians must judge leaders by their ability to deliver, not by whether they are men or women.
She cited her own leadership journey, noting that despite doubts when she took office, she has led the nation for four years with achievements that speak for themselves.
But her rally in Serengeti carried another key message: investment and tourism are central pillars of her campaign.
Mugumu town, she said, is set to become a hub for tourism and investment, thanks to its proximity to Serengeti National Park and its role in the northern tourism circuit.
“This region has the potential to shine, and CCM is ready to unlock it,” she pledged.
Addressing concerns from some traditionalists who resist female leadership, President Hassan stressed that Tanzania’s progress requires unity beyond gender or cultural barriers.
“God did not create men with more intelligence than women, or women with more intelligence than men,” she said.
“He gave us different biological roles, but in thinking and leading, He made us equal. In development, there is no woman, no man,” she concluded.
She reminded residents that women today are not only caregivers but also active contributors to the economy.
“Some say our candidate is a woman, and our traditions do not allow a woman leader. But look at what we have achieved together. If women could not lead, I would not have delivered all I have in these four years,” she said.
The President also defended the presence of four female parliamentary candidates in Mara Region, including Esther Matiko (Tarime Urban), Esther Bulaya (Bunda Urban), Mgore Kigera (Musoma Urban), and Mary Daniel (Serengeti).
“Some ask, why so many women candidates in Mara? My answer is simple: they will work as hard as men. Mara will be developed by both men and women, in unity. Tanzania will be built by all of us, together as one nation,” she said, earning applause.
The president said the modern world proves that men and women can serve equally in all professions.
“When you go to the hospital, you don’t ask whether the doctor is a woman or a man; you want treatment. When police protect you, you don’t refuse because the officer is a woman. Our country is safe because both men and women work together. Why should politics be different?” she asked.
She urged voters to look beyond customs or stereotypes when making choices at the ballot box.
“What matters is not gender or tribe. What matters is the ability to deliver for Tanzania,” she said.
Turning to economic priorities, the CCM presidential aspirant described the Serengeti District as a strategic centre for Tanzania’s tourism and investment growth.
Mugumu, she said, lies between Sirari and Seronera, and on the route to Kogatende in the northern Serengeti ecosystem, famed for the wildebeest migration.
“This town is full of opportunities. Investors are already interested in building hotels and other facilities here. They are attracted by our good management of conservation areas, which has made the Serengeti a global icon, winning awards again and again,” she said.
She pledged that a CCM government in the next five years would continue to promote Tanzania’s attractions and increase visitor numbers to eight million annually by 2030.
“Our 2025–2030 manifesto has a clear plan. We will build Mugumu Airport so tourists can land here directly, without having to pass through long routes. That will unlock greater opportunities for residents,” she said.
Closing her address, she urged residents to vote for CCM candidates across the board, assuring them the party’s team has been carefully vetted.
“Whoever is nominated by CCM has been tested. We are confident they can deliver. Once in office, we will channel funds to them so they can bring development to your wards and districts,” she said.
Her message was clear: Tanzania’s future depends on unity and the breaking of barriers, whether based on gender, tribe, or outdated traditions.
“This country will be built by all of us. In development, there is neither woman nor man, only Tanzanians,” she concluded.
