Media Narratives of a Historic Presidency: Dominant Frames in Reporting on Samia Suluhu Hassan in Tanzania.

Article’s QR Code Audio Version https://www.gjournals.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/012426012-Kassimba-et-al.mp3 Or highlight the text below to listen. Greener Journal of Journalism, Advertisement and Mass Communication Vol. 2(1), pp. 1-9, January, 2026 Copyright ©2026, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. Journal DOI: 10.15580/gjjamc Journal website: https://gjjamc.gjournals.org Media Narratives of a Historic Presidency: Dominant Frames in Reporting on Samia Suluhu Hassan in Tanzania. Revocatus Kassimba1, Rev. Dr. Camillus Nikata2, Fr Dr Rajendran J. Britto2 1Head of Government Communication Unit at the Prime Minister’s Office-Labour, Employment and Relations, Dodoma-Tanzania. 2Academician, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, St. Augustine University of Tanzania. ABSTRACT This study examines how Tanzanian print media framed President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the first six months of her presidency, a period marked by political transition and historical significance as she became the country’s first female Head of State. Guided by framing theory and informed by scholarship on gender and political communication, the study analyses how leadership legitimacy and gendered authority were constructed in two leading English-language newspapers, Daily News and The Guardian. Using a qualitative content analysis of 261 hard news stories sampled through the Constructive Week Sampling technique, the study identified six dominant frames: leadership ability, economic development, diplomacy, health improvement, gender parity, and democracy. The findings reveal notable differences in framing patterns across the two newspapers. Daily News accounted for 61.7 per cent of the dominant frames, providing broader and more supportive coverage aligned with state narratives, while The Guardian contributed 38.3 per cent, offering more selective and internationally oriented reporting. Leadership ability emerged as the most prominent frame, portraying President Samia as decisive, competent, and reform-driven. Economic and diplomatic frames reinforced her image as a pragmatic leader focused on stability, investment, and regional re-engagement, while health-related frames highlighted a shift toward evidence-based COVID-19 governance. Although less frequent, gender parity and democracy frames contributed symbolic value by normalising female political leadership and signalling cautious democratic openness. The study contributes to African media and communication scholarship by demonstrating how media framing shapes perceptions of female political leadership during periods of transition. ARTICLE’S INFO Article No.: 012426012 Type: Research Full Text: PDF, PHP, HTML, EPUB, MP3 DOI: 10.15580/gjjamc.2026.1.012426012 Accepted: 24/01/2026 Published: 31/01/2026 *Corresponding Author Revocatus Kassimba E-mail: kassimba26@gmail.com Keywords: Media framing, political communication, gender and leadership, Tanzanian newspapers 1.0 INTRODUCTION The increasing visibility of women in top political leadership positions has reshaped scholarly debates on power, legitimacy, and media representation. Although women’s participation in politics has expanded globally, their access to executive leadership remains limited, and when achieved, it is often accompanied by heightened media scrutiny. The media play a central role in constructing public understanding of political leadership, not simply by reporting events, but by framing leaders in ways that influence how their authority, competence, and legitimacy are perceived (Goffman, 1974; Entman, 1993). For women leaders, media framing is particularly significant because it often intersects with gendered expectations that shape public interpretations of leadership performance (Ross & Comrie, 2012). Framing theory provides a useful lens for examining how media narratives construct political reality. Frames function by selecting and emphasising certain aspects of events or actors while downplaying others, thereby guiding audience interpretation (Entman, 1993). Research on gender and political communication consistently demonstrates that women leaders are framed differently from men, often through narratives that foreground gender, personality, or symbolism rather than policy competence or institutional authority (Haspari, 2017; Johnson-Myers, 2021). Studies of female political leaders in Africa further reveal that media coverage frequently oscillates between celebratory representations of women’s leadership and subtle reinforcement of patriarchal norms (Ettang, 2014; Katamba, 2022). These patterns highlight the media’s role as a site where gendered power relations are negotiated and reproduced. In Tanzania, the rise of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to the presidency in March 2021 marked a historic political moment, making her the country’s first female Head of State. Her accession followed a sudden constitutional transition and occurred within a political environment characterised by evolving media freedoms and renewed public interest in governance. As such, her presidency attracted intense media attention, positioning newspapers as key platforms for interpreting both her leadership and the symbolic meaning of female political authority in Tanzania. During periods of political transition, media framing becomes especially influential in shaping perceptions of leadership stability and legitimacy (Graber, 2000). Tanzania’s print media landscape, comprising both state-owned and privately owned newspapers, offers an important context for examining how political leadership is represented. Newspapers such as Daily News and The Guardian play a significant role in shaping political discourse, yet they operate under different institutional logics that influence framing practices (Mushi, 2010; Makulilo, 2022). Despite the historical significance of President Samia’s presidency, there is limited empirical research examining how Tanzanian newspapers framed her leadership during its early stages. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates the dominant frames used by Daily News and The Guardian in their reporting on President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the first six months of her presidency, contributing to scholarship on media framing, gender, and political communication in Tanzania. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW Theoretical Review Media framing theory provides a foundational framework for understanding how news organisations construct meaning around political actors and events. Originating from Goffman’s (1974) work on frame analysis, framing refers to the interpretive structures through which reality is organised and made meaningful. In media contexts, frames guide how information is selected, emphasised, and presented, shaping how audiences understand political issues and leaders. Entman (1993) refined this concept by defining framing as the process of highlighting certain aspects of perceived reality in order to promote specific problem definitions, causal interpretations, moral evaluations, and treatment recommendations. This theoretical perspective underscores the power of media texts not only to inform but also to influence public interpretation and judgment. Within political communication, framing has been shown to play a decisive role in shaping perceptions of leadership competence, legitimacy, and accountability. Graber (2000) argues that political news frames often simplify complex governance processes by focusing on leadership traits, responsibility, and performance outcomes, thereby influencing how citizens evaluate political authority. During periods of political transition or uncertainty, framing becomes even more salient, as media narratives help stabilise or contest leadership legitimacy (Entman, 2010). Newspapers, through repeated framing patterns, can normalise particular understandings of leadership while marginalising alternative interpretations, making framing a key mechanism through which political power is symbolically constructed. For women leaders, framing theory intersects strongly with gender theory. Scholars argue that media frames are not gender-neutral; rather, they operate within cultural assumptions about masculinity and femininity that shape expectations of political leadership (Ross & Comrie, 2012). As a result, women leaders often face frames that emphasise personal character, symbolism, or novelty, rather than institutional authority or policy expertise. Framing theory therefore provides a critical lens for examining how gendered power relations are embedded in media representations of political leadership, particularly in contexts where female leadership is historically unprecedented. Empirical Review Empirical research consistently demonstrates that gendered norms significantly influence how political leadership is represented in the media. Across global contexts, female political leaders are framed differently from their male counterparts, often through narratives that emphasise personal characteristics, emotionality, appearance, or symbolic value rather than policy expertise or institutional authority. Jamieson (1995) describes this phenomenon as the “double bind” of women in leadership, where expectations of femininity conflict with dominant norms of political decisiveness and authority. As a result, media portrayals of women leaders frequently subject them to heightened scrutiny and evaluative standards that are not equally applied to male leaders. Studies conducted in Europe and North America further show that media coverage of female leaders often draws upon entrenched cultural stereotypes that question women’s toughness, legitimacy, and suitability for power (Ross, 2010; Van Zoonen, 2005). For example, coverage of Hillary Clinton’s political career repeatedly focused on her tone of voice, perceived emotionality, and likability, often at the expense of substantive policy discussion. Similarly, in Germany, Angela Merkel was frequently framed as “Mutti,” a maternal figure whose authority was softened and domesticated through symbolic language. Comparable framing patterns have been observed in Latin America, where female presidents such as Michelle Bachelet and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were portrayed through a blend of political evaluation and gendered scrutiny, illustrating the persistence of gendered media narratives across diverse political systems. African scholarship mirrors these global trends while revealing context-specific variations shaped by political culture and media systems. Studies examining media portrayals of women leaders in countries such as Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, and South Africa indicate that female presidents and senior politicians are often framed in ways that foreground gender over governance. Research on Malawi’s former president Joyce Banda, for instance, found a combination of celebratory narratives and gender-stereotypical framing that emphasised maternal identity or questioned decisiveness. In Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was frequently framed through narratives of resilience and moral authority, yet media representations also positioned her as a national mother figure, attributing emotional labour roles that subtly gendered her leadership (Ettang, 2014; Katamba, 2022). These studies demonstrate that while women’s leadership may be symbolically celebrated, media framing often continues to reproduce traditional gender expectations. The structure and orientation of national media systems play a critical role in shaping these framing practices. In Tanzania, the liberalisation of the media sector in the 1990s expanded the number of newspapers and broadcast outlets, creating a more pluralistic yet politically stratified media environment. Newspapers such as Daily News, The Guardian, The Citizen, and Mwananchi have emerged as key platforms for political communication, each shaped by distinct ownership structures, editorial cultures, and regulatory constraints (Mushi, 2010). These institutional factors influence how political events are framed and how leaders are portrayed, particularly during periods of political transition. The Tanzanian print media landscape is characterised by a dual system of state-owned and privately owned newspapers, each occupying different roles in the public sphere. As a state-owned outlet, Daily News often aligns its reporting with official government perspectives and narratives of national unity, while The Guardian, as a privately owned newspaper, tends to adopt a more independent editorial stance, though still operating within political and regulatory limitations (Makulilo, 2022). These structural differences provide a valuable context for examining variations in media framing of political leadership, especially in relation to gender and authority. President Samia Suluhu Hassan assumed office in March 2021 following the death of President John Pombe Magufuli, marking an unprecedented moment in Tanzania’s political history as the country’s first female Head of State. Her unexpected rise, combined with the political environment she inherited, generated extensive domestic and international media attention. Early observations of her presidency pointed to shifts in diplomatic engagement, economic policy orientation, and media openness, suggesting a reconfiguration of governance style. Media narratives during this period frequently blended political evaluation with symbolic interpretations of her leadership, portraying her as a stabilising figure while simultaneously emphasising the historic nature of her gender. Preliminary commentaries indicate that some media coverage highlighted President Samia’s conciliatory tone, diplomatic pragmatism, and emphasis on national unity, framing her leadership as corrective and reform-oriented. Other narratives foregrounded her gender, presenting her presidency as a symbolic break from patriarchal political structures. However, despite the prominence of such narratives, systematic empirical research examining how Tanzanian newspapers framed her leadership remains limited. In particular, there is a lack of studies that categorise and compare dominant frames used by influential newspapers during the early phase of her presidency. Comparative studies from other African countries provide important insights into how political leaders are framed within similar media environments. Research on newspapers in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria shows that political reporting frequently employs frames related to conflict, development, corruption, and national identity. Female politicians in these contexts often encounter additional framing layers shaped by societal gender expectations, resulting in portrayals that oscillate between praise and scepticism. Studies of leaders such as Uganda’s Rebecca Kadaga and Kenya’s Martha Karua reveal media narratives that commend assertiveness while simultaneously questioning leadership suitability when women diverge from traditional gender norms. Even in Rwanda, where women’s political participation is institutionally strong, subtle gendered framing persists, underscoring the resilience of gendered media narratives across African contexts. Collectively, the reviewed empirical literature demonstrates that media framing plays a powerful role in shaping public perceptions of political leadership, particularly for women. While global and African studies reveal consistent patterns of gendered framing, they also highlight the importance of context-specific analysis. In Tanzania, despite the central role of newspapers in political communication and the historical significance of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s presidency, there remains a clear research gap. Existing studies have not systematically examined how state-owned and privately owned newspapers framed the country’s first female president during a critical period of political transition. Addressing this gap, the present study examines the dominant frames used by Daily News and The Guardian in their reporting on President Samia Suluhu Hassan, contributing to a deeper understanding of gender, media framing, and political leadership in Tanzania. 3.0 METHODOLOGY This study adopted a qualitative research approach to examine how Daily News and The Guardian framed President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the first six months of her presidency. Qualitative inquiry was considered appropriate because it enables systematic interpretation of non-numerical data, allows for in-depth analysis of meaning, and accommodates multiple textual sources inherent in media research (Creswell, 2014; Tavakoli, 2012). Guided by framing theory, the study analysed hard news stories to explore how headlines, story selection, language tone, and thematic emphasis functioned as framing devices in news reporting, consistent with approaches used in comparable framing studies across different political contexts (Araujo, 2020; Haspari, 2017; Tarish et al., 2022). A qualitative content analysis research design was employed to generate rich textual data from two leading English-language newspapers in Tanzania. Daily News, a state-owned newspaper with an approximate daily circulation of 32,000 copies, was selected due to its agenda-setting role and extensive national reach, while The Guardian, a privately owned newspaper with a circulation of about 25,000 copies per day, was included because of its strong urban readership and influence among professionals, policymakers, and international audiences. The target population comprised all hard news stories published in the two newspapers between 19 March and 19 September 2021. Using the Constructive Week Sampling technique, 83 newspaper issues were systematically selected, yielding a total of 261 hard news stories. Each newspaper was sampled three times per week, excluding Sundays, to ensure temporal representativeness and minimise sampling bias. The unit of analysis was each hard news story that mentioned President Samia Suluhu Hassan in the headline, lead, or body text. Data collection involved systematic document analysis supported by a coding sheet capturing publication dates, story placement, headline characteristics, and framing categories. Frames and keywords were generated both deductively from existing literature and inductively from preliminary reading of the texts. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis and constant comparison methods, complemented by descriptive mapping of frame frequencies and story placement. Following Wimmer and Dominick (2013), six dominant thematic frames emerged from the data leadership, economy, diplomacy, health, gender, and democracy. Comparative analysis between the two newspapers enabled interpretation of framing variations shaped by ownership structure, editorial orientation, and institutional roles. Ethical standards were observed throughout the study in accordance with the guidelines of St. Augustine University of Tanzania, with formal permission obtained to access data and all documents handled to ensure credibility, integrity, and trustworthiness of findings. 4.0 RESULTS The analysis set out to determine the dominant frames used to report on President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Daily News and The Guardian during the first six months of her presidency. The findings reveal clear differences in the frequency, emphasis and direction of framing across the two newspapers. Overall, Daily News accounted for 61.7% of the dominant frames identified, while The Guardian contributed 38.3%. This imbalance suggests that Daily News provided broader and more consistent coverage of the President, particularly on matters relating to governance, economy, and diplomatic relations. The findings also show that both newspapers relied on framing categories aligned with Graber’s (2000) typology of political news frames. Across the dataset, six major frames emerged: leadership ability, economic development, diplomacy, health improvement, gender parity, and democracy. Among these, leadership ability was the most dominant frame, constituting 35.6% of all hard news stories in both newspapers. Of this, Daily News contributed 21.8%, while The Guardian contributed 13.8%. Leadership-related stories emphasised President Samia’s firmness, decisiveness, and commitment to good governance. Headlines such as “Samia tweaks cabinet” (Daily News, 1 April 2021) and “Samia talks tough on fraud” (Daily News, 29 April 2021) signalled a framing direction designed to portray her as an authoritative and competent head of state. Leadership frames also extended into special publications such as the “Samia’s 100 days in numbers” supplement, which reinforced her performance record early in her tenure. Economic frames were the second most dominant category, accounting for 25.3% of all stories. Daily News carried 14.6% of economic frames, while The Guardian contributed 10.7%. These frames centered on investment attraction, public financial reforms, job creation, and continuation of major infrastructure projects. Examples include front-page stories such as “Samia: We’ll put to action JPM plans” (Daily News, 27 March 2021) and “President Samia wins investors’ accolades” (The Guardian, 26 July 2021). The prominence of these frames demonstrates the centrality of economic recovery and stability in shaping perceptions of President Samia’s early leadership. Diplomatic frames comprised 19.1% of all hard news stories. Daily News reported 13.4% while the Guardian carried 5.7%. Diplomatic framing highlighted President Samia’s efforts to rebuild foreign relations, expand regional partnerships, and enhance Tanzania’s global presence. Framing techniques featured bilateral visits, regional summits, and endorsements by foreign leaders, such as the headline “Museveni: Thank you Samia” (Daily News, 13 May 2021) and “Tanzania, Burundi seeking stronger trade, security ties” (The Guardian, 17 July 2021). Health improvement frames-dominated by COVID-19 coverage-accounted for 9.7%. The Guardian published 5.1% while Daily News carried 4.6%. These stories highlighted President Samia’s shift from COVID-19 denialism under President Magufuli to the adoption of evidence-based public health measures. Headlines such as “Samia: Covid-19 Real, So Take Precautions” (The Guardian, 26 June 2021) and “COVID-19 Response: Samia flags off vaccination” (Daily News, 28 July 2021) portrayed her as a rational, science-aligned leader committed to saving lives. Gender parity frames represented 6.5% of coverage. Daily News recorded 4.6% while The Guardian had 1.9%. These frames highlighted the President’s commitment to advancing gender equality, expanding women’s leadership roles, and addressing structural barriers. Examples include “Samia Expedites Gender Parity” (Daily News, 9 June 2021) and “Female President mandate still to be achieved-Samia” (The Guardian, 16 September 2021). Finally, democracy frames were the least frequent, accounting for 3.9% of all stories. Daily News carried 2.7% compared to The Guardian's 1.2%. These frames captured President Samia’s efforts to reopen political space, engage opposition leaders, and rebuild multiparty dialogue. Illustrative examples include “Samia: I’m willing to meet leaders of political parties” (Daily News, 23 April 2021) and the party accountability story “CCM apologizes to Samia” (Daily News, 11 August 2021). The results suggest that President Samia was framed predominantly positively across both newspapers. Daily News offered more extensive and supportive framing, while The Guardian provided more selective, internationally oriented coverage.The frames used constructed President Samia as a competent, visionary, and reform-driven leader navigating governance transition under complex political and socio-economic conditions. 5.0 DISCUSSION The findings of this study provide important insights into how Tanzanian print media constructed the political image of President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the first six months of her presidency. Guided by framing theory, the analysis demonstrates that newspapers did not merely report on presidential activities but actively shaped interpretive narratives that legitimised her leadership following a sudden constitutional transition. The dominance of leadership, economic, and diplomatic frames across both Daily News and The Guardian suggests a deliberate emphasis on stability, competence, and continuity at a politically sensitive moment. This pattern aligns with Entman’s (1993, 2010) assertion that repeated framing of specific attributes encourages audiences to internalise preferred interpretations of political actors, particularly during periods of uncertainty. The prominence of leadership ability as the most dominant frame is especially significant in light of scholarship on gender and political communication. Female leaders are often subject to sceptical or personalised media scrutiny rooted in gender stereotypes; however, the findings indicate that both newspapers foregrounded President Samia’s decisiveness, firmness, and governance capacity. This framing appears to counter the “double bind” typically faced by women leaders, whereby expectations of femininity conflict with norms of authoritative leadership. Similar patterns were observed by Ross and Comrie (2012) in their study of Jamaica’s first female prime minister, where positive leadership framing served to stabilise public perception during political transition. In the Tanzanian case, leadership frames surrounding cabinet restructuring, anti-corruption initiatives, and administrative reforms functioned to reinforce Samia’s legitimacy as a capable head of state. Nonetheless, the intensity and direction of leadership framing differed between the two newspapers. Daily News exhibited a stronger tendency to amplify leadership frames, a pattern that can be understood within the context of its state-owned status. State media often serve an institutional role in reinforcing political legitimacy and national cohesion, particularly during leadership transitions. The celebratory coverage of President Samia’s first 100 days in office exemplifies a framing strategy that foregrounds performance success and governance continuity. While such framing contributes to political stability, it also raises questions about editorial independence and agenda alignment, echoing concerns raised in Tanzanian media scholarship regarding state influence on news narratives (Mushi, 2010; Makulilo, 2022). Economic framing emerged as the second most dominant category, reflecting the centrality of economic recovery and continuity in the early phase of President Samia’s presidency. Both newspapers portrayed her administration as committed to sustaining development projects while adopting a more pragmatic and outward-looking economic posture. This framing marked a contrast with the inward-oriented economic nationalism associated with the previous administration, positioning Samia as a reform-minded leader attentive to investor confidence and international cooperation. The Guardian’s emphasis on endorsements from international investors and business actors aligns with its elite and professional readership, illustrating how institutional orientation shapes framing priorities. Such findings are consistent with Graber’s (2000) observation that economic frames are frequently used to evaluate leadership performance and policy credibility. Diplomatic frames further reinforced the construction of President Samia as a legitimate and globally engaged leader. Coverage of bilateral visits, regional summits, and international endorsements framed her presidency as signalling Tanzania’s re-engagement with the international community after a period of diplomatic strain. This finding resonates with Araujo’s (2020) argument that diplomatic visibility plays a crucial role in enhancing the legitimacy of leaders emerging from national crises. The symbolic value of international recognition also carried a gendered dimension, as foreign endorsements amplified the historic significance of Samia’s presidency as a milestone for women’s leadership, both regionally and globally. Health-related frames, largely centred on COVID-19, highlighted one of the most visible departures from the previous administration. By framing President Samia as science-guided, transparent, and responsive, the newspapers contributed to reshaping public health discourse in Tanzania. Given the politicisation of COVID-19 under President Magufuli, this framing served not only a health communication function but also a broader legitimacy-building role. Placing health-related stories prominently signalled a restoration of rational governance and institutional trust, illustrating how frames can redefine both policy direction and leadership identity. Although less frequent, gender parity frames carried significant symbolic weight. By highlighting President Samia’s commitment to women’s representation and gender equality, the newspapers contributed to normalising female political leadership in a historically male-dominated political landscape. The relatively low frequency of explicit gender frames suggests a shift toward performance-based evaluation rather than novelty framing. This finding supports Johnson-Myers’ (2021) argument that media coverage tends to emphasise governance outcomes over gender symbolism once women leaders demonstrate competence and authority. Daily News’ stronger emphasis on gender-related stories further reflects its alignment with government narratives promoting gender equality as part of national development discourse. Democracy frames were the least prominent but captured pivotal moments in Tanzania’s evolving political environment. Media coverage of President Samia’s engagement with opposition leaders and her openness to dialogue framed her leadership as conciliatory and reform-oriented. This pattern corresponds with George’s (2023) observation that female leaders are often framed as bridge-builders during democratic transitions. While such framing reinforces narratives of unity and inclusion, its limited frequency suggests that democratic reform was not the dominant lens through which her presidency was interpreted during the study period. Across all frame categories, a consistently positive tone characterised media coverage of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. This positivity may reflect a journalistic response to the need for national stability following an abrupt leadership transition. However, it also underscores structural limitations within Tanzania’s media pluralism, particularly the influential role of state-owned outlets in shaping dominant narratives. While The Guardian offered more selective and internationally oriented coverage, it largely complemented rather than challenged the prevailing framing direction. The findings demonstrate that the media framing of President Samia Suluhu Hassan was shaped by the interaction of gender, political transition, institutional identity, and national priorities. Through leadership, economic, diplomatic, health, gender, and democracy frames, Tanzanian newspapers constructed an image of a competent, reform-oriented, and stabilising leader navigating inherited challenges while consolidating her own leadership identity. In line with framing theory, these narratives played a crucial role in shaping public understanding of Tanzania’s first female presidency during its formative stages. 6.0 CONCLUSION This study examined how Daily News and The Guardian framed President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the first six months of her presidency and demonstrated that Tanzanian print media played a central role in constructing her political legitimacy during a historic leadership transition. Guided by framing theory, the findings reveal that both newspapers predominantly employed leadership, economic, and diplomatic frames, portraying President Samia as a competent, reform-oriented, and stabilising leader. While gender parity and democracy frames appeared less frequently, their presence nonetheless contributed symbolic value by normalising female political leadership and signalling cautious democratic openness. The study further established that ownership structures significantly influenced framing patterns, with the state-owned Daily News providing more extensive and supportive coverage, while The Guardian adopted a more selective and internationally oriented framing. Collectively, these findings confirm that media framing in Tanzania does not merely reflect political reality but actively shapes public interpretation of leadership, authority, and gender during periods of political transition. Based on these findings, the study recommends that Tanzanian media institutions strengthen editorial balance and professional independence to ensure more pluralistic and critically engaged political reporting, particularly during leadership transitions. 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