Tanzania's Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan is set to be sworn in as the new president and will serve the remainder of President John Magufuli's second five-year team which he began last year.

It will make her the first female president of the East Africa nation and the second president to come from the country's semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar.

Ms Hassan rose to prominence in 2014 as the deputy chairperson of a constituent assembly mandated to lead the drafting of a new constitution.

A year later became the running mate of .the ruling CCM party presidential candidate John Magufuli.

On the campaign trail, she reportedly asked a team of musicians who were accompanying her to call her mama, or mother.

Politicians who have worked with her speak of her leadership potential that Tanzanians have not had the opportunity to see.

"She makes herself look like a normal politician but the truth is that her potential is very great and I have seen it by working closely with her," lawmaker January Makamba told BBC Swahili.

Others have described her as a brave and unwavering politician. She visited opposition leader Tundu Lissu in hospital after he survived an assassination attempt in September 2017 in the capital, Dodoma.

Ms Hassan is married to Hafidh Ameir and they have four children.