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 queen of Tanganyika, Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of the United Kingdom and 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 was the same as the succession to the British throne.

Governor-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.
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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.
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President of Tanzania

Under the 1964 Constitution, 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 a yes-or-no confirmation referendum for a five-year term after being nominated by a TANU/CCM electoral college. Following the restoration of multi-party system in 1992, multi-candidate elections were introduced in 1995, with the president elected via First-past-the-post voting. In the event of a vacancy the vice-president serves as acting president.
President John Magufuli takes a monthly salary of 9 million Tanzanian shillings.
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Standards

Living former heads of state

There are three living former Tanzanian heads of state:
ImageNameTerm/ReignOfficeDate of birth
Elizabeth II1961–1962Queen of Tanganyika
Ali Hassan Mwinyi1985–1995President of Tanzania
Jakaya Kikwete2005–2015President of Tanzania