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President of United Republic of Tanzania facts for kids

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President of the United Republic of Tanzania
Flag of the President of Tanzania.svg
Presidential Standard
Coat of arms of Tanzania.svg
Coat of arms of Tanzania
International leaders sign joint statement at COP26 (51649202102) (Suluhu crop).jpg
Incumbent
Samia Suluhu Hassan

since 19 March 2021
Executive branch of the Government of Tanzania
Style Her Excellency
Mheshimiwa Rais  (Swahili)
Member of Cabinet
Residence Ikulu
Seat Dodoma
Term length Five years,
renewable once
Constituting instrument Constitution of Tanzania (1977)
Formation 29 October 1964; 60 years ago (1964-10-29)
First holder Julius Nyerere
Deputy Vice-President of Tanzania
Salary 98,287,560 Tanzanian shilling/US$42,000 annually


The President of the United Republic of Tanzania (Swahili: Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania) is the main leader of Tanzania. This person acts as both the head of state and the head of government. They represent the country and lead its daily operations.

Samia Suluhu Hassan became president on March 19, 2021. She is the first woman to hold this important position in Tanzania. She took office after the death of the previous president, John Magufuli, on March 17, 2021.

How Long Does a President Serve?

A president in Tanzania serves for a period of five years. They can be re-elected for one more term. This means a president can serve a maximum of two terms in total. This rule is part of the Constitution of Tanzania. The two-term limit started applying to presidents in 1995.

What Does the President Do?

The President of Tanzania has many important jobs. They are the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. This means they are in charge of the country's military. The president is also responsible to the country's parliament, which is made up of elected representatives. This ensures the president works for the people.

Tanzania's Past Presidents

Tanzania became independent in 1961. At first, it was known as Tanganyika. Its first leader was a governor-general named Sir Richard Turnbull. Then, Julius Nyerere became the first president under the 1962 constitution.

In 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined together to form Tanzania. Since then, Tanzania has had six presidents. All of them have been from the same political party. This party was first called the Tanganyika African National Union. Later, it merged to become the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party.

Julius Nyerere served as president for a long time, from 1962 to 1985. He served five terms in total.

Recent Election

The most recent general election in Tanzania happened in 2020. In this election, John Magufuli was re-elected as president. His running mate, who became the Vice-President, was Samia Suluhu. After President Magufuli's death in 2021, Samia Suluhu Hassan became the new president.

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