Nairobi News

President Samia Suluhu has become the butt of jokes online after she travelled with her official chair to the home of former Prime Minister Mzee John Samwel Malecela to condole with him following the death of his son, William Malecela (Lemutuz).

This after a picture of President Samia was shared in tweet on Tanzania’s State House tweet handle.

In the picture, the Tanzanian Head of State is seen seated on her official Presidential seat Mr and Mrs Malecela are seated opposite her in their living room in Kilimani area, Dodoma.

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Online, netizens shared varied reactions to the picture as sampled by Nairobi News:

“Rais wa Jamuhuri ya Muungano anatembea na kiti chake kila mahali? Ata kwa majumba ya watu Jameni hii ni nini sasa (Does the President of Tanzania walk with her chair everywhere? Even in the homes of people? My goodness, what is this now),” commented Abala Kinyua.

“Huyu Rais mbona msikitini haendi na hicho kiti chake au msikitini tu ndo salama kwake ila sio kanisani au kwa viongozi wastaafu kote usalama zero? (Why doesn’t this President go to the mosque with her seat? Or does she consider the mosque the only safe place for her; not even in churches or the homes of retired politicians? Zero security?),” posed Micheal Micha12.

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“Hapo kaenda kumfariji au kumhoji? Hata kama ni raisi, ndio uende na kiti cha raisi? Kwamba mzee Malecela hajui kuwa ni raisi? Ndio akawaweka wazee kama boss anawapiga kitimoto wafanyakazi? (Did she go to comfort or interrogate him? Although she is president, must she go with her presidential seat? Does she think Mzee Malecela does not know she is the President…?)” opined Chagga King.

“Samia inaonekana anaupenda sana ufalme maana kila aendako lazima kiti cha kifalme kipande V8 (It seems President Samia likes being the queen so much that everywhere she goes the seat of power must be loaded into a V8),” said Flavian Kombora.

Other compared President Samia to the late former President John Magufuli who once went to the home of a former comrade to condole with them and sat on a thin dining room chair and close to those in mourning, not across from them and looking stately.

The late Lemutuz died at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Dar es Salaam after he suddenly fell sick. He is survived by his wife and two children.

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