List of heads of state of Tanzania
Updated: 11/6/2025, 1:15:59 AM Wikipedia source
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 Constitution of 1961 was the queen of Tanganyika, Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of other Commonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in Tanganyika by a governor-general. Tanganyika became a republic within the Commonwealth under the Constitution of 1962 and the monarch and governor-general were replaced by an executive president. After the Zanzibar Revolution, which overthrew the Sultanate of Zanzibar in January 1964, the People's Republic of Zanzibar united with mainland Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which was later renamed to the United Republic of Tanzania.
Tables
| No. | Portrait | Name(Birth–Death) | Reign | Royal House | Prime minister(s) | ||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | | Queen Elizabeth II(1926–2022) | 9 December 1961 | 9 December 1962 | 1 year | Windsor | NyerereKawawa |
| No. | Portrait | Name(Birth–Death) | Term of office | Monarch | Prime minister(s) | ||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | | Sir Richard Turnbull(1909–1998) | 9 December 1961 | 9 December 1962 | 1 year | Elizabeth II | NyerereKawawa |
| No. | Portrait | Name(Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Political party | |||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| 1 | | Julius Nyerere(1922–1999) | 1962 | 9 December 1962 | 29 October 1964 | 1 year, 325 days | TANU | |
| No. | Portrait | Name(Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Political party | Prime minister(s) | |||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||
| 1 | | Julius Nyerere(1922–1999) | 1965[§]1970[§]1975[§] | 1 November 1964 | 5 November 1985 | 21 years, 4 days | TANU(until 1977) | Kawawa | |
| 1980[§] | CCM | KawawaSokoineMsuyaSokoineSalim | |||||||
| 2 | | Ali Hassan Mwinyi(1925–2024) | 1985[§]1990 | 5 November 1985 | 23 November 1995 | 10 years, 18 days | CCM | WariobaMalecelaMsuya | |
| 3 | | Benjamin Mkapa(1938–2020) | 19952000 | 23 November 1995 | 21 December 2005 | 10 years, 28 days | CCM | MsuyaSumaye | |
| 4 | | Jakaya Kikwete(born 1950) | 20052010 | 21 December 2005 | 5 November 2015 | 9 years, 319 days | CCM | SumayeLowassaPinda | |
| 5 | | John Magufuli(1959–2021) | 20152020 | 5 November 2015 | 17 March 2021[†] | 5 years, 132 days | CCM | Majaliwa | |
| 6 | | Samia Suluhu Hassan(born 1960) | 2025 | 19 March 2021 | Incumbent | 4 years, 231 days | CCM | ||
References
- Tanzania: Electoral systemhttps://www.eisa.org.za/wep/tansystem.htm
- "Tanzanian president earns $4,008 a month"https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/tanzanian-president-earns-4008-month-171004060931215.html
- the Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/19/tanzania-swears-in-samia-suluhu-hassan-as-first-female-president