Tanzania’s new Vice President sworn in

Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango was sworn in as Tanzania’s Vice President  in the presence of the newly appointed President Samia Suluhu.

The ceremony took place in the State House, Chamwino, Dodoma.

Mpango became the Vice President after the position that was left vacant when President Suluhu took over as president following the death of the former strongman Dr. John Pombe Magufuli.

A total of 363 MPs had voted to endorse Mpango after nomination by President Samia Suluhu.

President Suluhu urged the new Vice President Pmango to prioritize resolving challenges facing the union on financial matters.

“This matter was under the Minister for Finance who was Dr. Mpango, he was sitting on it, therefore, appointing him to the vice-president position means he will be able to resolve it easily since it is still under his custodian,” President Samia told Dr. Mpango.

Philip Isdor Mpango is among the few ministers who were reappointed by the late President Magufuli during his second term.

He previously served as the Acting Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), the Executive Secretary in the President’s Office (Planning Commission).

He also served as the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs, and the Personal Assistant to the late President Magufuli in economic affairs.

Mpango was previously caught up in controversy when a video of him coughing and gasping during a news conference was shared a thousand times as he defended the state of his health.

Though he did not reveal what he was suffering from, the minister tried to put to a stop rumors on social media that he had died of Covid-19.

In the video, Mpango dispelled rumors that he was suffering from Covid-19 and further announce he was being discharged from hospital after 14 days.

Suzan O /AJZ