Former Vice President, Samia Suluhu Hassan has become Tanzania’s first-female president following the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli

Hassan was sworn-in on Friday after the sudden death of Magufuli an illness shrouded in mystery.

In her first public address as president, the 61-year-old leader announced 21-days of mourning for Magufuli and public holidays on March 22 and on March 25, the day the late president will be buried.

“I, Samia Suluhu Hassan, promise to be honest and obey and protect the constitution of Tanzania,” said Hassan, dressed in a black suit and red headscarf before dignitaries at a ceremony in the capital, Dar es Salaam.

“It’s not a good day for me to talk to you because I have a wound in my heart,” said Hassan.

“Today I have taken an oath different from the rest that I have taken in my career. Those were taken in happiness. Today I took the highest oath of office in mourning,” she added.