By Prosper Makene, Dodoma
When 2,044 delegates from over 150 countries landed in Arusha without a single security incident, complaint or logistical failure, the world sent Tanzania a powerful message of trust — and that trust was earned by President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan's leadership.
That was the verdict in Parliament on Monday when Mtama MP Nape Nnauye moved a special Motion to congratulate the President for the historic success of the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly. The Motion was seconded by Mlalo MP Rashid Shangazi.
It was a historic Assembly in every sense. The IPU was founded in 1889 and its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. It is now 137 years old. In all those 137 years, Tanzania had never hosted it. The 153rd Assembly in Arusha from October 5 to 9, 2026 was the first time.
It was held under a powerful theme: Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all.
The scale was massive. Official records show 2,044 participants from over 150 countries attended at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC). Among them were 56 Speakers of Parliament, 51 Deputy Speakers and 624 Members of Parliament. Women made up 39.4 percent of parliamentarians present.
Seconding the motion, Shangazi said Tanzania has proved it remains an island of peace.
"Truly, I did not hear even one guest complaining that they got lost or faced any problem while in Tanzania," Shangazi said. "This is something to be highly commended. Tanzania remains an island of peace. Despite everything that has been said, we remain a peaceful nation. That is why the international community trusted us, came to Tanzania and successfully held this major meeting before departing safely."
He said that peace must have architects, and history must record their names.
First is Baraka Alphonce Leonard, Clerk of the National Assembly. His work started in September 2025 when he led a delegation to Turkey to benchmark IPU hosting. From protocol and documentation to flags and simultaneous interpretation, Leonard rehearsed every detail.
Second is Christine Mwakatobe, Managing Director of the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC). She turned AICC into what delegates called Africa's Geneva. For five days, she ensured the lights stayed on, the microphones worked, and the internet handled over 2,000 live connections.
Third is the leadership and people of Arusha Region - Regional Commissioner, Police, Immigration, City Council and wananchi - who managed VIP convoys and cultural tours.
Fourth is Ambassador Dr. Hoyce Temu — Tanzania's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and international organizations in Geneva, who has managed Tanzania's IPU portfolio in Geneva for over five years.
Shangazi explained that the campaign did not start in Arusha. It started in Geneva, at IPU headquarters. Ambassador Dr. Temu fought corridor to corridor to secure support for Tanzania.
That campaign climaxed in Angola, where the election for IPU President was held. There were four candidates - from Malawi, Senegal, Somalia and Tanzania. Dr. Tulia Ackson was selected among them. In a historic first-round victory, she won and became President of the IPU. That victory is what brought the 153rd Assembly to Tanzania.
When the Assembly closed in Arusha with the election of Australia's Milton Dick to succeed her, it closed a circle she had opened.
Shangazi asked that the names be captured in Hansard for future generations - that this first historic hosting in 137 years was held during the tenure of Speaker Mussa Zungu, and that these public servants made it possible.
"Tanzanian food became the unexpected star of the conference. Unlike in many European nations where food is preserved and frozen for months, Tanzania offered fresh food straight from the shamba," Shangazi said.
"Whether it was chicken, vitumbua or nyama choma, they had happy and cheerful faces. During Tanzania Night, you could see guests from nations known to be very culturally reserved, trying to even put vitumbua in their pockets to take away."
The Assembly has opened many doors. All politics, all politicians and the movers and shakers of the world were in Tanzania. The good name of Tanzania has now spread like wildfire.
During the assembly, there were many side meetings and many investors came with the Speakers. The result is not short-term - not just hotels and food and quick tourism receipts. It is long-term. People who came will bring their families back. The world will remember Tanzania for the next ten or twenty years.
Tanzania is getting ready for that future. A new modern conference centre capable of accommodating over 2,500 to 3,000 delegates is being built opposite the AICC in Arusha. Another major conference centre is being built in Zanzibar.
As the National Assembly unanimously passed the resolution, the message was clear: After 137 years, Tanzania got its moment - and under Samia's leadership, it won the world's trust.
Ends
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