S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike vs Samia Suluhu

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike became Prime Minister of Ceylon on April 12, 1956, leading the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) coalition. His victory marked a shift from the UNP's pro-Western policies to a more nationalist and socialist agenda.

Bandaranaike's government passed the Official Language Act, making Sinhala the sole official language of Ceylon. This act marginalized the Tamil-speaking minority, leading to increased ethnic tensions and the first anti-Tamil riots in 1958.

Bandaranaike signed a pact with Tamil leader S. J. V. Chelvanayakam to devolve power to Tamil regions, including recognition of Tamil as a minority language. The pact was never implemented due to opposition from Sinhala nationalists, contributing to his assassination.

Bandaranaike was assassinated on September 25, 1959, by Talduwe Somarama, a Buddhist monk, at his residence in Colombo. The assassination was motivated by opposition to his policies, including the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact, which aimed to address Tamil grievances.

Suluhu was sworn in as President of Tanzania following the death of President John Magufuli. She became the first female president in Tanzania's history and the first female head of state in East Africa.

Suluhu reversed her predecessor's policy of denying COVID-19 and rejecting vaccines. She formed a national COVID-19 task force, encouraged mask-wearing, and accepted vaccine donations, aligning Tanzania with global health protocols.

Suluhu reached out to opposition leaders and invited them for dialogue, signaling a shift from Magufuli's authoritarian approach. She lifted bans on some opposition newspapers and allowed political rallies, easing political tensions.

Suluhu appointed Justice Ibrahim Juma as Chief Justice, but more notably, she appointed several women to high-ranking positions, including the first female Attorney General and the first female head of the civil service.