President Samia, several others applaud Tulia after clinching IPU top seat
DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has congratulated Dr Tulia Ackson after being elected as the 31st President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
In a secret poll with four candidates on the ballot, the new IPU President was elected with 57 percent of the vote after a single round of voting.
Dr Tulia takes over from Mr Duarte Pacheco, a parliamentarian from Portugal, who concluded his three-year mandate at the end of the 147th IPU Assembly in Luanda, Angola.
After being declared the winner, President Samia took to social media to congratulate Dr Tulia who doubles as the Speaker of Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania.
“Dr Tulia Heartiest congratulations to Hon Speaker H.E. Dr Tulia Ackson for being elected as President, Inter-ParliamentaryUnion (IPU)@bunge_tz,” she posted.
The new IPU boss has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Law from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and a Doctorate from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
She is an advocate of the High Court of Tanzania and a member of the Tanganyika Law Society.
She also taught at the Faculty of Law (now School of Law) at the University of Dar es Salaam.
IPU posted on its official X account (formerly Twitter) to congratulate Dr Tulia after landing the organisation’s top post.
“Congratulations to @TuliaAckson from #Tanzania’s @bunge_tz on her election to the #IPU presidency at #IPU147 in #Angola. Dr Tulia Ackson is the 31st president of the IPU and the first woman from #Africa to hold the position of @IPUPresident,” the post reads.
On his side, India’s High Commissioner to Tanzania, Binaya Pradhan has also congratulated the new IPU boss.
“Heartiest congratulations to Hon Speaker H.E. Dr Tulia Ackson for being elected as President, Inter-ParliamentaryUnion (IPU) @bunge_tz,” he posted.