Jakaya Kikwete

Jakaya Kikwete
File:Jakaya Kikwete 2011 (cropped).jpg
4th President of Tanzania
In office 21 December 2005 – 5 November 2015
Vice President	Ali M. Shein (2005–10) Mohamed Bilal (2010–15)
Prime Minister	Edward Lowassa (2005–08) Mizengo Pinda (2008–15)
Preceded by	Benjamin Mkapa
Succeeded by	John Magufuli
6th Chairperson of the African Union
In office 31 January 2008 – 2 February 2009
Preceded by	John Kufuor
Succeeded by	Muammar al-Gaddafi
11th Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office November 1995 – 21 December 2005
Preceded by	Joseph Rwegasira
Succeeded by	Asha-Rose Migiro
7th Minister of Finance
In office 1994–1995
Preceded by	Kighoma Malima
Succeeded by	Simon Mbilinyi
Member of Parliament for Chalinze
In office 1995–2005
Succeeded by	Ramadhani Maneno
Personal details
Born	(1950-10-07) 7 October 1950 Msoga, Tanganyika
Nationality	Tanzanian
Political party	CCM (1977–) TANU (before 1977)
Spouse(s)	Salma Kikwete (m. 1989)
Children	Eight
Residence	Msoga, Tanzania
Alma mater	University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania Military Academy
Profession	Economist
Religion	Islam
Twitter handle	jmkikwete
Military service
Allegiance	United Rep. of Tanzania
Service/branch	Tanzanian Army
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel

Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete (born 7 October 1950) was the fourth President of Tanzania, in office from 2005 to 2015. Prior to his election as President, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2005 under his predecessor, Benjamin Mkapa. He has also served as the Chairperson of the African Union in 2008–2009 and the Chairman of the Southern African Development Community Troika on Peace, Defence and Security in 2012–2013.

Education

Between 1959 and 1963, Kikwete went to Karatu Primary School in Tanzania before continuing with middle school education at Tengeru School from 1962 to 1965. After Tengeru, Kikwete moved to Kibaha Secondary School for his O-levels, which took place between 1966 and 1969, and then he studied at Tanga school for his advanced level education. He graduated from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1975 with a degree in economics.

Leadership and political career

Kikwete was born at Msoga, located in the Bagamoyo District of Tanganyika, in 1950.

As a party cadre, Kikwete moved from one position to another in the party ranks and from one location to another in the service of the party. When TANU and Zanzibar's Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) merged to form Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in 1977, Kikwete was moved to Zanzibar and assigned the task of setting up the new party's organisation and administration in the islands. In 1980, he was moved to the headquarters as administrator of the Dar es Salaam head office and head of the Defence and Security Department before moving again up-country to the regional and district party offices in Tabora Region (1981–84) and Singida Region and Nachingwea (1986–88) and Masasi District (1988) in the country's southern regions of Lindi and Mtwara respectively. In 1988, he was appointed to join the central government.

In 1994, at 44, he became one of the youngest finance ministers in the history of Tanzania. In December 1995, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, being appointed by President Benjamin William Mkapa of the third phase government. He held this post for ten years, until he was elected President of the United Republic of Tanzania in December 2005, hence becoming the country's longest serving foreign minister. During his tenure in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tanzania played a significant role in bringing about peace in the Great Lakes region, particularly in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kikwete was also deeply involved in the process of rebuilding regional integration in East Africa. Specifically, several times, he was involved in a delicate process of establishing a customs union between the three countries of the East African Community (Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania), where, for quite some time, he was a Chairman of the East Africa Community's Council of Ministers.

Kikwete also participated in the initiation, and became a Co-Chair, of the Helsinki Process on Globalisation and Democracy. On 4 May 2005, Kikwete emerged victorious among 11 CCM members who had sought the party's nomination for Presidential candidacy in the general election. After a 14 December 2005 multiparty general election, he was declared the winner by the Electoral Commission on 17 December and was sworn-in as the Fourth President of the United Republic of Tanzania on 21 December.

On 26 May 2013, Kikwete said at a meeting of the African Union that if President Joseph Kabila of the DRC could negotiate with the March 23 Movement, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda should be able to negotiate with the Allied Democratic Forces-National Army for the Liberation of Uganda and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, respectively. In response, Museveni expressed his willingness to negotiate.

Personal

Kikwete is an avid sports enthusiast and played basketball competitively in school. He has been a patron of the Tanzania Basketball Federation for the past 10 years. He is married to Salma and they have five children.

As of 4 April 2013, Kikwete was the sixth most followed African leader on Twitter with 57,626 followers.

Honours and awards

Under his leadership, Tanzania received $698 million from the US government under the Millennium Challenge Corporation

President Kikwete shares a light moment with Prime Minister Pinda.

Receiving an award by the Africa Leadership Magazine.

Kikwete was the first African Head of State to meet President Obama in 2009

Honours

Year	Country	Order
2007	Uganda		Most Excellent Order of the Pearl of Africa (Grand Master)
2009	Comoros		Order of the Green Crescent of the Comoros
2009	Saudi Arabia		Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud
2009	Jamaica		Order of Excellence
2012	Oman		Order of Oman (First Class)

Awards

• Sullivan Honor
• 2007: The AAI African National Achievement Award (on behalf of Tanzania).
• 2009: US Doctors for Africa Award.
• 2011: Social Good Award from the United Nations Foundation
• 2011: South-South Award for Global Health, Technology and Development
• 2012: FANRPAN Policy Leadership Award from the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network.
• 2013: Africa's Most Impactful Leader of the Year by the Africa Leadership Magazine
• 2013: ICCF Mengha Award by the International Conservation Caucus Foundation
• 2014: Icon of Democracy Award, from The Voice Magazine (Netherlands)
• 2015: Leadership Excellence Award by the Pan-African Youth Union.
• 2015: African Achievers Award by the Institute for Good Governance in Africa.
• 2015: African Statesman of the Year by the The African Sun Times.

Honorary academic awards

Year	University	Country	Honour
2006	University of St. Thomas, Minnesota	United States	Doctor of Law
2008	Kenyatta University	Kenya	Doctor of Humane Letters
2010	Fatih University	Turkey	Doctorate in International Relations
2010	Muhimbili University	Tanzania	Doctor of Public Health
2010	University of Dodoma	Tanzania	Honoris Causa
2011	University of Dar es Salaam	Tanzania	Doctor of Law
2013	University of Guelph	Canada	Doctor of Law
2014	China Agricultural University	China	Honorary Professor
2014	Nelson Mandela–AIST	Tanzania	Honoris causa
2015	University of Newcastle, New South Wales	Australia	Doctor of Laws

Legacy

Eponyms

• Kikwete Bridge, across the Malagarasi River in western Tanzania (275 metres)
• Kikwete Friendship Highway, a 12 km highway in Dar es Salaam that will be constructed between Ukonga Banana in Ilala District and Chamazi in Temeke District.

• Schools:
  • Jakaya Kikwete Primary School in Muleba District, Kagera Region
  • Jakaya Kikwete Secondary School in Mbulu, Manyara Region
  • J. M. Kikwete Secondary School in Mbozi District, Mbeya Region

External links

• Jakaya Kikwete on Twitter

Political offices
Preceded by Steven Kabona	Minister of Finance 1994–1995	Succeeded by Simon Mbilinyi
Preceded by Joseph Rwegasira	Minister of Foreign Affairs 1995–2005	Succeeded by Asha-Rose Migiro
Preceded by Benjamin Mkapa	President of Tanzania 2005–2015	Succeeded by John Magufuli
Party political offices
Preceded by Benjamin Mkapa	National Chairman of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi 2007–present	Incumbent
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by John Kufuor	Chairperson of the African Union 2008–2009	Succeeded by Muammar al-Gaddafi