Vice-President of Tanzania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania
Makamu wa Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania
Coat of arms of Tanzania
Flag of Tanzania
Incumbent Vacant since 25 August 2026
Style	His Excellency
Member of	Cabinet
Seat	Dodoma, Tanzania
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	1977 Constitution
Formation	1964; 62 years ago (1964)
First holder	Abeid Karume
Salary	US$4,375 monthly

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The vice-president of Tanzania is the second-highest government leader in the United Republic of Tanzania. This important leader works closely with the president of Tanzania to help govern the nation. The vice-president is chosen during national elections as the president's running partner. If the president can no longer lead, the vice-president steps up to become the new president.

Tanzania is a large country in East Africa known for its wildlife, Mount Kilimanjaro, and rich history. Leading such a country takes teamwork, which is why the vice-president plays a major role in keeping the government running smoothly.

Role and Duties of the Vice-President

The vice-president holds many important duties outlined by the nation's laws. The main job is to assist the head of state and help oversee national projects.

Assisting the President

The vice-president works directly with the president to manage national policies. They attend high-level meetings, meet with foreign leaders, and help direct government ministers. When the president travels abroad, the vice-president often represents the nation at home.

Cabinet Membership

The vice-president is a key member of the Cabinet. The Cabinet is a council of top government officials who make major decisions about schools, roads, healthcare, and public safety. In this role, the vice-president helps coordinate plans across different government offices.

Special Focus Areas

In Tanzania, the vice-president's office often oversees vital national initiatives. These special responsibilities often include:

• Protecting the natural environment, forests, and wildlife reserves.
• Promoting economic growth and job opportunities across all regions.
• Managing relations between the mainland and the islands of Zanzibar.
• Encouraging better health, clean water, and educational programs for young people.

Rules of Succession and Term Limits

The Constitution of Tanzania sets clear rules for how a vice-president takes office and how long they can serve.

Presidential Line of Succession

Under Article 37 of the constitution, the vice-president ranks first in line to become president. If a sitting president passes away, resigns, or is unable to carry out their duties, the vice-president takes the oath of office as president for the rest of the term.

Eligibility for Future Terms

Article 40 of the constitution explains how term limits work when a vice-president becomes president:

• If fewer than three years remain in the presidential term, the new president can still run for two full five-year terms later.
• If more than three years remain in the term, the new president may only run for one additional full term.

An example of this occurred when Samia Suluhu Hassan became president following the death of President John Magufuli. Because of the timing within the term, her future eligibility was guided directly by these constitutional rules.

History of the Office

The role of the vice-president has changed over time to reflect the history of the country.

Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

In April 1964, the mainland country of Tanganyika joined together with the island nation of the People's Republic of Zanzibar. Together, they formed modern Tanzania.

To ensure both parts of the new union had strong representation, the country originally had two vice-presidents:

• The First Vice-President was usually the leader of Zanzibar.
• The Second Vice-President was usually the leader of government business on the mainland and served as Prime Minister.

Creation of a Single Office

In 1995, Tanzania updated its election system. The government decided to combine the duties into a single national vice-president. Under this modern system, the president and vice-president run together on the same ballot during general elections.

List of Vice-Presidents of Tanzania

The following lists show the leaders who have served in these vital positions since 1964.

Political parties

     Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP)      Tanganyika African National Union (TANU)      Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM)

First Vice-Presidents (1964–1995)

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party	President(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Abeid Karume (1905–1972)	29 October 1964	7 April 1972	7 years, 161 days	ASP	Nyerere
2		Aboud Jumbe (1920–2016)	7 April 1972	30 January 1984	11 years, 298 days	ASP (until 1977)
						CCM
3		Ali Hassan Mwinyi (1925–2024)	30 January 1984	5 November 1985	1 year, 279 days	CCM
4		Joseph Warioba (born 1940)	5 November 1985	9 November 1990	5 years, 4 days	CCM	Mwinyi
5		John Malecela (born 1934)	9 November 1990	5 December 1994	4 years, 26 days	CCM
6		Cleopa Msuya (1931–2025)	5 December 1994	23 November 1995	353 days	CCM

Second vice-presidents

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party	President(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Rashidi Kawawa (1926–2009)	26 April 1964	13 February 1977	12 years, 293 days	TANU (until 1977)	Nyerere
						CCM
Post vacant (13 February 1977 – 5 November 1985)
2		Idris Abdul Wakil (1925–2009)	5 November 1985	9 November 1990	5 years, 4 days	CCM	Mwinyi
3		Salmin Amour (born 1948)	9 November 1990	23 November 1995	5 years, 14 days	CCM

Vice-presidents (single office)

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party	President(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Omar Ali Juma (1941–2001)	23 November 1995	4 July 2001	5 years, 223 days	CCM	Mkapa
2		Ali Mohamed Shein (born 1948)	13 July 2001	3 November 2010	9 years, 113 days	CCM	Mkapa Kikwete
3		Mohamed Gharib Bilal (born 1945)	6 November 2010	5 November 2015	4 years, 364 days	CCM	Kikwete
4		Samia Suluhu Hassan (born 1960)	5 November 2015	19 March 2021	5 years, 134 days	CCM	Magufuli
5		Philip Mpango (born 1957)	31 March 2021	3 November 2025	4 years, 217 days	CCM	Suluhu
6		Emmanuel Nchimbi (born 1971)	3 November 2025	25 August 2026	312 days	CCM
Post vacant (25 August 2026 – present)

Timeline

See also

• President of Tanzania