Julius Nyerere

Servant of God Julius Nyerere
Nyerere in 1975
1st President of Tanzania
In office 29 October 1964 – 5 November 1985
Prime Minister	Rashidi Kawawa Edward Sokoine Cleopa Msuya Edward Sokoine Salim Ahmed Salim
Vice President	First Vice President Abeid Amani Karume Aboud Jumbe Ali Hassan Mwinyi Second Vice President Rashidi Kawawa
Preceded by	Himself as President of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Succeeded by	Ali Hassan Mwinyi
President of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
In office 26 April 1964 – 29 October 1964
Vice President	Abeid Karume (First) Rashidi Kawawa (Second)
Preceded by	Himself as President of Tanganyika Abeid Karume as President of the People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba
Succeeded by	Himself as President of Tanzania
President of Tanganyika
In office 9 December 1962 – 26 April 1964
Prime Minister	Rashidi Kawawa
Preceded by	Elizabeth II as Queen of Tanganyika
Succeeded by	Himself as President of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Prime Minister of Tanganyika
In office 1 May 1961 – 22 January 1962
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Himself (as Chief Minister)
Succeeded by	Rashidi Kawawa
Chief Minister of Tanganyika
In office 2 September 1960 – 1 May 1961
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Sir Richard Turnbull
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Himself (as Prime Minister)
Personal details
Born	Kambarage Nyerere (1922-04-13)13 April 1922 Butiama, Mara Region, Tanganyika Territory
Died	14 October 1999(1999-10-14) (aged 77) London, England
Resting place	Butiama, Mara Region, Tanzania
Nationality	Tanzanian
Political party	CCM (1977–1999) TANU (1954–1977)
Spouse	Maria Nyerere ​ (m. 1953)​ [1]
Children	8 Andrew Burito Anna Watiku Anselm Magige John Guido (1957–2015) Charles Makongoro (b. 1959) Godfrey Madaraka Rosemary Nyerere (1961–2021) Pauleta Nyabanane
Alma mater	University of Fort Hare Makerere University (DipEd) University of Edinburgh (MA)
Profession	Teacher
Awards	Lenin Peace Prize Gandhi Peace Prize Joliot-Curie Medal

Julius Kambarage Nyerere (Swahili pronunciation: [ˈdʒulius kɑᵐbɑˈɾɑɠɛ ɲɛˈɾɛɾɛ]; 13 April 1922 – 14 October 1999) was a Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as president from 1962 to 1964, after which he led its successor state, Tanzania, as president from 1964 to 1985. He was a founding member and chair of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) party, and of its successor, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, from 1954 to 1990. Ideologically an African nationalist and African socialist, he promoted a political philosophy known as Ujamaa.

Born in Butiama, Mara, then in the British colony of Tanganyika, Nyerere was the son of a Zanaki chief. After completing his schooling, he studied at Makerere College in Uganda and then Edinburgh University in Scotland. In 1952 he returned to Tanganyika, married, and worked as a school teacher. In 1954, he helped form TANU, through which he campaigned for Tanganyikan independence from the British Empire. Influenced by the Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, Nyerere preached non-violent protest to achieve this aim. Elected to the Legislative Council in the 1958–1959 elections, Nyerere then led TANU to victory at the 1960 general election, becoming prime minister. Negotiations with the British authorities resulted in Tanganyikan independence in 1961. In 1962, Tanganyika became a republic, with Nyerere elected as its first president. His administration pursued decolonisation and the "Africanisation" of the civil service while promoting unity between indigenous Africans and the country's Asian and European minorities. He encouraged the formation of a one-party state and unsuccessfully pursued the Pan-Africanist formation of an East African Federation with Uganda and Kenya. A 1963 mutiny within the army was suppressed with British assistance.

Following the Zanzibar Revolution of 1964, the island of Zanzibar was unified with Tanganyika to form Tanzania. After this, Nyerere placed a growing emphasis on national self-reliance and socialism. Although his socialism differed from that promoted by Marxism–Leninism, Tanzania developed close links with Mao Zedong's China. In 1967, Nyerere issued the Arusha Declaration which outlined his vision of ujamaa. Banks and other major industries and companies were nationalized; education and healthcare were significantly expanded. Renewed emphasis was placed on agricultural development through the formation of communal farms, although these reforms hampered food production and left areas dependent on food aid. His government provided training and aid to anti-colonialist groups fighting white-minority rule throughout southern Africa and oversaw Tanzania's 1978–1979 war with Uganda which resulted in the overthrow of Ugandan President Idi Amin. In 1985, Nyerere stood down and was succeeded by Ali Hassan Mwinyi, who reversed many of Nyerere's policies. He remained chair of Chama Cha Mapinduzi until 1990, supporting a transition to a multi-party system, and later served as mediator in attempts to end the Burundian Civil War.

Nyerere was a controversial figure. Across Africa he gained widespread respect as an anti-colonialist and in power received praise for ensuring that, unlike many of its neighbours, Tanzania remained stable and unified in the decades following independence. His construction of the one-party state and use of detention without trial led to accusations of dictatorial governance, while he has also been blamed for economic mismanagement. He is held in deep respect within Tanzania, where he is often referred to by the Swahili honorific Mwalimu ("teacher") and described as the "Father of the Nation".