Menu
Hon. Dr. Ali Hassan Mwinyi
Ali Hassan Mwinyi is a Tanzanian Politician born on 8th May 1925 in Kivure, Coast Region, on Tanzania Mainland but raised in Zanzibar. He served as the second President of the United Republic of Tanzania from the 5th November 1985 to 23rd November 1995 as well as, previous to that, serving as the 3rd President of Zanzibar 30th January 1984 to 24th October 1985.
He attained his primary and secondary education at Mangapwani and Dole Secondary School in Zanzibar respectively from 1933 to 1942 and thereafter did a two-year teacher training course at the Zanzibar Teacher Training College before pursuing further professional training at the University of Durham, which is about 30 minutes’ drive from Newcastle Airport in North East England in the United Kingdom.
The former President began his professional career as a teacher and became a Principal at the Zanzibar Teacher Training College before entering politics in 1963 as the Permanent Secretary to the Minister of Education in Zanzibar. Between 1970 and 1975, through appointments, he served as the Minister of State in the President’s Office, the Minister of Heath in the Union Government and the Minister of Home Affairs before becoming an Ambassador to Egypt for two years up to 1977.
In 1977, Ali Hassan Mwinyi got recalled to serve as the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism in the Union Government and Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office for one year each between 1981 to 1983.
In 1983 to 1984, Mwinyi went from being an interim President to an elected President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council and appointed Vice President of the Union Government. In 1985, he was elected the President of the United Republic of Tanzania and won re-election for a second term in 1990. Ali Hassan Mwinyi has been conferred with the following Honours:
2013: Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) in Business Management, The East Africa University in Kenya
2012: Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa), The Open University of Tanzania
2011: Order of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, Tanzania
