Even if you are not Tanzanian, you must have heard from Jakaya Kikwete, a former President of Tanzania. Considering his lengthy tenure, his name has become a popular name in African politics. He was President of Tanzania for over a decade and has also made a positive contribution to the country’s economic and other development. However, there are a lot of facts about this man that many people are unaware of. Read on to learn more about him.
Jakaya Kikwete Biography
Jakaya Kikwete was born on October 7, 1951 in Msoga, Tanzania, the sixth child of his father, Halfani Mrisho Kikwete, and his mother. Asha Jakaya. After graduating from high school, Jakaya went to Tanga School for his advanced education, from where he went to University of Dar es Salaam to earn a bachelor’s degree in Economics. As a trained soldier he rose to the rank of lieutenant and later to lieutenant colonel, in which he served in both militaristic and political capacities.
Political career
In 1992, Kikwete decided to quit the military and direct full attention to politics. It was a time when political pluralism was being reinstated in Tanzania. After six years in the central government, he was appointed finance minister in 1994, becoming one of the youngest finance ministers in Tanzania’s history. During his tenure, he had tremendous success. He has been credited with creating cash budget systems and increasing revenue for better management of public finances, as well as establishing the Financial Authority for Tanzania. A year later, precisely in December 1995, Kikwete was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Jakaya is the longest-serving minister in the history of Tanzanian government and politics, a position he held for ten years until he was elected President of the United Republic of Tanzania in December 2005, becoming the country’s longest-serving foreign minister. Those ten long years were never wasted by the well-meaning Jakaya. He ensured that Tanzania played a significant role in bringing about peace in the Great Lakes region, particularly in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Political achievements and philosophy
Under the presidency of Jakaya Kikwete, inflation in Tanzania’s economy grew and the external debt was wiped out. It is true that critics still insist that most Tanzanians remain impoverished, but it has not denied that he has not positively influenced the lives of Tanzanians.
Unlike some African leaders, Kikwete is very tolerant when it comes to religion. As a Muslim, he surprisingly has a collection of the Christian holy book, the Bible, most of which were gifts to him. Its administration is characterized by religious and religious freedom. The former Tanzanian president is very present on social media, especially on Twitter, where he is the sixth most viewed African president.
In addition, Kikwete is a very lively lover of sports. He played competitive basketball at school and has been a patron of the Tanzania Basketball Federation for the past 10 years. Jakaya is not the one clinging to political power, he is quite content with his two terms as President of Tanzania. In fact, in one of his last speeches, he said he couldn’t wait to step down in October 2015 after stressing out those long years of thankless service.
family, children
Jakaya Kikwete married Salma Kikwete in 1989, it was his second marriage and in both he has nine children – Ridhiwani, Salama, Miraj, Ally, Khalifa, MwanaAsha, Khalfan, Rashid and Mohamed (adopted).
Jakaya Kikwete Net Worth, Salary
The former President of Tanzania’s net worth is set at $10 million. According to African Review, a publication in Kenya, he was listed as one of the ten highest paid presidents in Africa. His annual salary was around $192,000.
Brief facts about Jakaya Kikwete
1. He comes from a family of nine and also has nine children.
2. He studied economics at university.
3. He was once a soldier.
4. He became a minister at the age of 44, one of the youngest in the history of Tanzania.
5. Its political party is Chama Cha Mapinduzi.
6. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for ten years.
7. He is not a religious fanatic.
8. He wiped out Tanzania’s foreign debt.
9. He’s Twitter-friendly.
10. He loves basketball.
11. He’s not a stuck president.
12. Jakaya Kikwete has received numerous awards including the Pan-African Youth Union’s Leadership Excellence Award.