MWE Correspondent
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan urged African nations to shift their focus from celebrating political milestones to striving for economic independence a call that resonates deeply across a continent still grappling with structural inequalities despite decades of sovereignty.
Speaking on Sunday, July 6, during the Comoros’ 50th Independence Day, President Hassan was invited as the guest of honour and used the golden jubilee celebration to share a broader message for Africa: the continent’s future depends not just on political flags and anthems, but on building resilient, self-sustaining economies.
“This day is not only important to you, but to all of us in Tanzania. Africa is one family. Your independence is our independence,” President Hassan told the crowd.
The Comoros Islands gained independence from France in 1975. While the occasion was cause for national celebration, President Hassan stressed that true liberation means achieving economic sovereignty—free from dependence on foreign aid and unsustainable debt.
“Today we celebrate 50 years of political freedom, but we must now face the real challenge: achieving economic freedom,” she said. “This is the Africa we want: built by its people, using its own resources.”
Her remarks closely echoed those made just two weeks earlier in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, where she also spoke at the country’s 50th independence anniversary. In both speeches, she championed the idea that Africa’s second liberation is economic—and must be driven by industrialisation, innovation, and intra-African trade.
Central to that economic push is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which President Hassan praised as a vital instrument for economic transformation. She called it a platform that prioritises youth, women, and local industries, while enhancing cooperation among African states.
In her speech, she also called on Comoros to embrace Kiswahili as an official language—a cultural bridge that connects the region. She pledged to send Tanzanian teachers and support materials to help integrate Swahili into Comorian education.
President Hassan went further, citing practical examples of growing ties between Tanzania and Comoros. Over 2,700 Comorians have benefited from advanced heart care at Muhimbili National Hospital, one of Tanzania’s leading public health institutions. She also mentioned growing collaboration in marine transport, air travel, and banking—sectors essential to the Blue Economy and regional development.
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In a poignant moment, she paid tribute to the early architects of Comorian independence who launched the movement from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s economic capital. She recalled the formation of MOLINACO (Mouvement de Libération Nationale des Comores), founded by exiles and revolutionaries in the early 1960s with support from Tanzania’s first President Julius Nyerere.
She honoured Comorian women freedom fighters such as Sakina Ibrahim, Khadija Sabir, and Rabiata Mohamed—pioneers whose names are not widely known, but whose courage shaped the nation’s destiny.
Academics and regional experts have welcomed President Hassan’s message. Dr. Isac Safari of Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) said the President’s appeal to economic unity “puts the spotlight on Africa’s unfinished agenda.” Similarly, Dr. Mwinuka Lutengano from University of Dodoma called her remarks “visionary,” connecting historical liberation movements with the realities of Africa’s modern economic landscape.
From Maputo to Moroni, President Samia Suluhu Hassan is shaping a narrative that seeks to rekindle Pan-Africanism—not just as a political ideology but as an economic strategy. Her call is clear: for Africa to stand tall on the global stage, it must invest in its own people, value its resources, and write its own economic story.
“We cannot afford to stop at political flags and independence songs,” she concluded. “The real anthem must be economic strength, built with our own hands.”
