Jakaya Kikwete

Early life and education

Kikwete was born and raised in Msoga in the Chalinze District of Tanzania, in 1950. He is of Kwere heritage.

Between 1959 and 1963, Kikwete attended Karatu Primary School and Tengeru School from 1963 to 1965, both in Arusha Region. After Tengeru, Kikwete moved back to home to Pwani Region and attended Kibaha Secondary School for his O-levels, which took place between 1966 and 1969.

He then moved to Tanga Region, where he studied at the Tanga Technical Secondary School for his advanced level education. He graduated from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1975 with a degree in political science and public relations.

Career

As a party cadre, Kikwete moved from one position to another in the party ranks and from one location to another in the service of the party. When TANU and Zanzibar's Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) merged to form Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in 1977, Kikwete was moved to Zanzibar and assigned the task of setting up the new party's organisation and administration in the islands. In 1980, he was moved to the headquarters as administrator of the Dar es Salaam head office and head of the Defence and Security Department before moving again up-country to the regional and district party offices in Tabora Region (1981–84) and Singida Region and Nachingwea (1986–88) and Masasi District (1988) in the country's southern regions of Lindi and Mtwara respectively. In 1988, he was appointed to join the central government.

In 1994, at 44, he became one of the youngest finance ministers in the history of The United Republic of Tanzania. In December 1995, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, being appointed by President Benjamin William Mkapa of the third phase government. He held this post for ten years, until he was elected President of the United Republic of Tanzania in December 2005, hence becoming the country's longest serving foreign minister. During his tenure in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tanzania played a significant role in bringing about peace in the Great Lakes region, particularly in The Democratic Republic Of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kikwete was also deeply involved in the process of rebuilding regional integration in East Africa. Specifically, several times, he was involved in a delicate process of establishing a customs union between the three countries of the East African Community (Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania), where, for quite some time, he was a chairman of the East Africa Community's Council of Ministers.

Kikwete also participated in the initiation, and became a co-chair, of the Helsinki Process on Globalisation and Democracy. On 4 May 2005, Kikwete emerged victorious among 11 CCM members who had sought the party's nomination for presidential candidacy in the general election. After a 14 December 2005 multiparty general election, he was declared the winner by the Electoral Commission on 17 December and was sworn in as the fourth president of the United Republic of Tanzania on 21 December.

On 26 May 2013, Kikwete said at a meeting of the African Union that if President Joseph Kabila of the DRC could negotiate with the March 23 Movement, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda should be able to negotiate with the Allied Democratic Forces-National Army for the Liberation of Uganda and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, respectively. In response, Museveni expressed his willingness to negotiate.

On 31 January 2016, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Zuma, appointed Jakaya Kikwete the African Union High Representative in Libya. Following the crisis in Libya, Kikwete's role is to lead the AU's efforts on achieving peace and stability in Libya. Later that year, he was appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to serve as member of the Lead Group of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement. Since 2022, he has been a co-chairing the Commission for Universal Health convened by Chatham House, alongside Helen Clark.

Personal life

Kikwete is an avid sports enthusiast and played basketball competitively in school. He has been a patron of the Tanzania Basketball Federation for the past 10 years.

As of 4 April 2013, Kikwete was the sixth most followed African leader on Twitter with 57,626 followers.

Honours and awards

Honours

Awards

• Sullivan Honor
• 2007: The AAI African National Achievement Award (on behalf of Tanzania).
• 2009: US Doctors for Africa Award.
• 2011: Social Good Award from the United Nations Foundation
• 2011: South-South Award for Global Health, Technology and Development
• 2012: FANRPAN Policy Leadership Award from the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network.
• 2013: Africa's Most Impactful Leader of the Year by the Africa Leadership Magazine
• 2013: ICCF Mengha Award by the International Conservation Caucus Foundation
• 2014: Icon of Democracy Award, from The Voice Magazine (Netherlands)
• 2015: Leadership Excellence Award by the Pan-African Youth Union.
• 2015: African Achievers Award by the Institute for Good Governance in Africa.
• 2015: African Statesman of the Year by The African Sun Times.

Honorary academic awards

Legacy

Eponyms

• Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) in Dar es Salaam
• Jakaya Kikwete Convention Centre, Dodoma
• Jakaya M Kikwete Youth Park, a multi-sport facility in Dar es Salaam.
• Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation (JMKF), a registered trust and nonprofit organization
• Kikwete Bridge, across the Malagarasi River in western Tanzania (275 metres)
• Kikwete Hall, a reception hall at the Dar es Salaam State House that can accommodate 1,000 delegates.
• Roads:
  • Jakaya Kikwete Road in Dodoma
  • Jakaya Kikwete Road (0.49 km) in Nairobi, Kenya
• Schools:
  • Jakaya Kikwete Primary School in Muleba District, Kagera Region
  • Jakaya Kikwete Secondary School in Mbulu, Manyara Region
  • J. M. Kikwete Secondary School in Mbozi District, Mbeya Region

References

References

1. "Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete". Huffington Post.
2. "Wajue Marais wa Zamani wa Tanzania".
3. "Biography: Jakaya Kikwete". NewsAfrica Magazine.
4. [http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/africa-fights-to-free-itself-of-malcontents-1.1522596 "Africa fights to free itself of malcontents", ''IOL News'', reported by Peter Fabricius, 27 May 2013]
5. [https://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sga1678.doc.htm Secretary-General Appoints 29 Global Leaders to Spearhead Fight against Malnutrition] [[United Nations]], press release of 21 September 2016.
6. [https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-departments/global-health-programme/commission-universal-health Commission for Universal Health] [[Chatham House]].
7. Ng'wanakilala, Fumbuka. (29 March 2025). "Tanzania president warns of rising religious tensions before referendum". [[Reuters]].
8. (4 April 2013). "President Mahama among top ten African Presidents most followed on Twitter". [[Ghana Business News]].
9. (10 July 2007). "Museveni honours Nyerere". [[New Vision]].
10. (25 March 2009). "Rais Kikwete, Jenerali Mwamunyange, Waziri Membe Watunukiwa Anjoun". [[Ikulu]].
11. (16 April 2009). "JK akiwa Saudia". [[Michuzi Blog]].
12. (26 November 2009). "President Kikwete Awarded Order of Excellence". Jamaica Information Service.
13. (October 2012). "HM confers Oman Civil Order on Tanzania leader". [[Oman News Agency]].
14. "Rais Samia Suluhu Hassan akimkabidhi..".
15. (19 September 2007). "AAI'S 23rd Annual Gala Dinner". Africa-America Institute.
16. (22 May 2009). "US Doctors for Africa award goes to JK". [[IPP Media]].
17. (September 2011). "Social Good Award". [[United Nations Foundation]].
18. (December 2017). "South-South Awards Journal 2011".
19. (19 September 2012). "FANRPAN salutes the best in agriculture".
20. (9 April 2014). "Kikwete Receives Most Impactful Leader of Year Award". [[Daily News (Tanzania)]].
21. (26 September 2013). "Letter from the President of the Republic of Tanzania". ICCF.
22. (31 July 2014). "Big up for Kikwete as he lands top Africa democracy award". [[Daily News (Tanzania)]].
23. (29 March 2015). "President Kikwete conferred leadership award in Arusha". Michuzi Blog.
24. (28 July 2015). "JK wins African Achievers Award". The Citizen.
25. (31 December 2015). "Goodluck Jonathan Named International Person of the Year". The African Sun Times.
26. (25 September 2006). "President of Tanzania to speak here 28 Sept.". [[University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)]].
27. Swallehe Msuya. (30 September 2006). "Tanzania's president touts country's progress at St. Thomas appearance". [[Twin Cities Daily Planet]].
28. (26 January 2009). "Kenyatta University Newsletter Vol. 4, Issue 15 (Special Graduation Edition)". [[Kenyatta University]].
29. (19 February 2010). "Honorary Doctorate to the president of Tanzania from our university". [[Fatih University]].
30. (2011). "MUHAS Annual Report 2010–2011". [[Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences]].
31. (27 November 2010). "JK, late Kawawa honoured at UDOM colourful, maiden graduation". The Guardian.
32. (21 October 2011). "JK atunukiwa udaktari wa sheria UDSM". [[Michuzi Blog]].
33. (18 September 2013). "U of G to Welcome Tanzanian President to Campus". [[University of Guelph]].
34. (20 September 2014). "President of Tanzania at War Memorial Hall". Youtube.
35. Barasa, Chaby. (25 October 2014). "Kikwete: Agricultural transformation key to economic development". Daily News.
36. (23 October 2014). "President Kikwete awarded honorary professorship". [[Michuzi Blog]].
37. (18 December 2014). "JK atunukiwa PhD". [[Michuzi Blog]].
38. (18 December 2014). "Rais Kikwete atunukiwa shahada ya Uzamivu na NM-AIST". Youtube.
39. (30 July 2015). "President of Tanzania receives honorary doctorate from UoN". University of Newcastle.
40. (22 January 2015). "Kikwete picked UDSM Chancellor". Daily News.
41. (12 March 2017). "CCM hall named after ex-chairman Kikwete". The Citizen.
42. Vidija, Patrick. (7 October 2015). "Kikwete gets a road named in his honour". The Star.
43. Barasa, Chaby. (24 October 2014). "China pacts to bring jobs boom". Daily News.