Women are continuing to secure senior leadership positions in Tanzania as their performance in public service strengthens confidence in their ability to manage government responsibilities, the national chairperson of the ruling CCM party’s women’s wing, Mary Chatanda, has said.
Ms Chatanda said the increasing appointment of women to positions such as district commissioners, council executive directors and district administrative secretaries reflected growing confidence in their ability to deliver.
She said President Samia Suluhu Hassan had demonstrated confidence in women by giving them responsibilities across government, adding that the appointments should be viewed as recognition of competence rather than preferential treatment.
“In the various appointments made by our President, women have been given opportunities, and this is not about favouring them because of their gender but because of their proven ability to serve the people,” Ms Chatanda said in a phone interview from Zanzibar on September 30, 2026.
She said women had also increased their presence in senior positions within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), including regional party secretary posts.
“Women leaders continue to be trusted in government and even in the party. The number of women serving as CCM regional secretaries has increased significantly because their performance records have helped build confidence in them,” she said.
Her comments come amid continued efforts to increase women's participation in decision-making and public leadership, with the issue of whether women are given equal opportunities remaining an important part of Tanzania's governance debate.
Ms Chatanda, who is also a member of CCM's Central Committee, attributed part of the shift in attitudes towards women leaders to President Samia's rise to the presidency.
President Samia became Tanzania's first woman president in March 2021 after succeeding the late President John Magufuli.
According to Ms Chatanda, President Samia's tenure has provided an example that has helped challenge perceptions about women's capacity to lead at the highest levels of government.
“The leadership strength of women in the country has received a major boost from the leadership of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan,” she said.
She said women appointed to leadership positions had a responsibility to justify the confidence placed in them by delivering services effectively and remaining accountable to citizens.
The continued appointment of women to senior positions also puts greater focus on whether increased representation translates into tangible improvements in public services, particularly at the local-government level where citizens interact directly with government institutions.
Ms Chatanda said the record of women already serving in leadership positions should encourage authorities to continue assessing appointments on competence and performance while giving qualified women opportunities to take on greater responsibilities.
For women seeking leadership positions, she said, performance in existing roles remained critical to building public confidence and opening the way for further opportunities.