List of heads of state of Tanzania

This is a list of the heads of state of Tanzania from the independence of Tanganyika in 1961 to the present day.

From 1961 to 1962 the head of state under the Tanganyika Independence Act 1961 was the Monarch, who was the same person as the Monarch of the United Kingdom and of the other Commonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in Tanganyika by a Governor-General. Tanganyika became a republic under the Constitution of 1962 and the monarch and Governor-General were replaced by an executive President. After the Zanzibar Revolution in 1964, the People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba united with mainland Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which was later renamed to the United Republic of Tanzania.

Monarch (1961–1962)

The succession to the throne of Tanganyika was the same as the succession to the throne of the United Kingdom, governed by the Act of Settlement 1701.

Monarch			Reign			Royal House	Prime Minister(s)
#	Portrait	Name	Reign start	Reign end	Duration
1		Queen Elizabeth II (1926–)	9 December 1961	9 December 1962	1 year	House of Windsor	Nyerere Kawawa

Governors-General

The Governor-General was the representative of the monarch in Tanganyika and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Tanganyika without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.

Status

  Denotes Chief Justice acting as Officer Administering the Government

Governor-General			Term of Office			Monarch(s)	Prime Minister(s)
#	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Duration
1		Sir Richard Turnbull (1909–1998)	9 December 1961	9 December 1962	1 year	Elizabeth II	Nyerere Kawawa

President of Tanganyika

Under the 1962 Constitution, the first constitution of the Republic of Tanganyika, the President replaced the monarch as executive head of state. In the event of a vacancy the Speaker of the National Assembly served as Acting President.

Status

  Denotes Speaker of the National Assembly acting as President

President			Term of Office		Political Party (at time of election)
#	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office		Duration
style="background:Template:Tanganyika African National Union/meta/color; color:white"|1		Julius Nyerere (1922–1999)	9 December 1962	29 October 1964	1 year, 325 days	Tanganyika African National Union

President of Tanzania

Under the 1964 and 1977 Constitutions, the first constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, the President replaced the President of Tanganyika and the President of Zanzibar as executive head of state. The President was elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the Vice President served as Acting President.

Status

  Denotes Vice President acting as President

President			Term of Office		Political Party (at time of election)
#	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office
style="background:Template:Tanganyika African National Union/meta/color; color:white"|1		Julius Nyerere (1922–1999)	1 November 1964	5 November 1985	21 years, 4 days	Tanganyika African National Union (1964-77) Chama Cha Mapinduzi (1977-85)
style="background:Template:Tanganyika African National Union/meta/color; color:white"|2		Ali Hassan Mwinyi (1925–)	5 November 1985	23 November 1995	10 years, 18 days	Chama Cha Mapinduzi
style="background:Template:Tanganyika African National Union/meta/color; color:white"|3		Benjamin Mkapa (1938–)	23 November 1995	21 December 2005	10 years, 28 days	Chama Cha Mapinduzi
style="background:Template:Tanganyika African National Union/meta/color; color:white"|4		Jakaya Kikwete (1950–)	21 December 2005		18 years, 136 days (as of 5 May 2024)	Chama Cha Mapinduzi

Living former heads of state

Name	Term/Reign	Office	Date of birth
Elizabeth II	1961–1962	Queen of Tanganyika	21 April 1926
Ali Hassan Mwinyi	1985–1995	President of Tanzania	8 May 1925
Benjamin Mkapa	1995–2005	President of Tanzania	12 November 1938

External links

• World Statesmen – Tanzania