Prime Ministers Of Tanzania

Tanzania was once controlled by the monarchical government of Great Britain, under the leadership of Queen Elizabeth II at its time of independence. Tanganyika was granted responsibility for its own governance in 1960 with Julius Nyerere taking over from the governor general as the first prime minister. Tanzania's Prime Minister has one of the most important roles in the country at the helm of the National Assembly. The prime minister's office is generally in charge of supervising and controlling the activities of several subordinate ministries and the general national government business.

Prime Ministers Of Tanzania

Julius Nyerere

Julius Nyerere was born in 1922 and died in 1999. He was commonly known as 'Mwalimu ' (the Teacher), as that was his profession before he joined politics. He attended Makerere University and later proceeded to the University of Edinburg. In 1964 he helped to form the Tanganyika African Union. Nyerere was the first Tanzanian to become the prime minister of Tanganyika when it became a gained independence in 1960. He later became the first president of Tanzania in 1962. Thus he served as prime minister for only two years.

Nyerere is commonly known for what has come to be known his Ujamaa legacy when he served as the president of the Republic of Tanzania. He emphasized on the need for the citizens to live together in small villages and farm together as one. This policy is one of the policies that deteriorated Tanzanian economy leaving it poorer and highly dependent on international aid.

Rashid Kawawa

Rashid Mfaume Kawawa became the second prime minister of Tanganyika in 1962. He again served in the same position for Tanzania in 1972 to 1977. Kawawa was born on May 27, 1926, in Matepwende and died on December 31, 2009. He attended Tabora government secondary school and started working as a clerk. In 1951 Kawawa served as the secretary general of Tanganyika Government Services Association. He resigned in 1956 and joined TANU. He became TANU's vice president in 1960. When Nyerere resigned as prime minister he took the mantle from him in 1962. In 1972 he became the prime minister again and served up to 1977. Kawawa is known for actively advocating policies of economic statism. He was a leader who united the people of Tanganyika and Zanzibar he was also a key participant in implementing the Arusha Declaration of Ujamaa.

Fredrick Sumaye

Fredrick Tluway Sumaye was born on May 29, 1950, in Hanang, Manyara. He studied in Gidas primary school and Iboru Secondary school, and from there proceeded to attend Egerton University in Kenya where he studied agricultural engineering. He became a teacher at the Nyegezi Agricultural College in Mwanza, a position he held from 1973 until 1976. He joined politics in 1983 as a member of parliament under CCM. On November 28, 1995, he was appointed by the then president Benjamin Mkapa as the Prime Minister of Tanzania. He served in the same position for ten years. He resigned as the Prime Minister in 2005 to contest for the presidential seat. Sumaye was a peaceful and quiet man. He had the ability to rule and make tough decisions.

Mizengo Pinda

Mizengo Kayanza Pinda was born on August 12, 1948, in Rukwa. He joined the University of Dar-Es-Salaam in 1971 where he studied law, and he became state attorney in the ministry of justice. He was chosen as the assistant private secretary to the then President Nyerere and later Hassan Mwinyi. He was elected as MP for Mpanda constituency in 2000 and became the deputy prime minister in the office of the then prime minister for regional administration and local governments. President Jakaya Kikwete later appointed him as the prime minister of Tanzania on February 8, 2008, where he served up to 2015. Pinda was an active advocate for anti-corruption and became the first prime minister to declare his assets publicly. During his term as a prime minister, Pinda made significant efforts to push Tanzania from its deteriorated economic status to a healthy economy. He has considerably improved the country's economy and curbed corruption.

Role in the Progress of an Independent Tanzania

Since 1961, Tanzania has had a total of 11 prime ministers. These have included Mwalimu Julius, Rashid Kawawa, then Edward Sokoine, Cleopa Msuya, Salim Ahmed Salim, Joseph Warioba, John Macelela, Fredrick Sumaye, Edward Lowassa, Mizengo Pinda, and the incumbent Kassim Majaliwa. All these prime ministers have been prominent persons in the government of Tanzania each having helped move Tanzania from a poor developing country to a much stable one in their respective years of service.