Benjamin Mkapa
Encyclopedia
Benjamin William Mkapa was the third President of the United Republic of Tanzania
(1995–2005) and former Chairman for the Revolutionary State Party (Chama Cha Mapinduzi
, CCM).
, near Masasi
in southern Tanganyika. He graduated from Makerere University
in Uganda
in 1962 with a degree in English. He also attended Columbia University
in 1963 was awarded a master’s degree in international affairs. Previous posts include being the administrative officer in Dodoma
and the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education. He also led the Tanzania mission to the United States
and was the Foreign affairs
Minister from 1977 to 1980 and from 1984 to 1990.
In 1995, Mkapa was elected president based on a popular anti-corruption campaign and the strong support of former president Julius Nyerere
. Mkapa's anti-corruption efforts included creation of an open forum called the Presidential Commission on Corruption (Warioba Commission) and increased support for the Prevention of Corruption Bureau.
Mkapa's second 5-year term of office as President ended in December 2005. During this term in office, Mkapa privatized state-owned corporations and instituted free market policies. His supporters argued that attracting foreign investment would promote economic growth. His policies won the support of the World Bank
and International Monetary Fund
and resulted in the cancellation of some of Tanzania's foreign debts.
He has been criticized for some ineffectiveness of his anti-corruption efforts as well as for his lavish spending. He spent £15 million on a private presidential jet, as well as almost £30 million on military aviation equipment which experts deemed beyond the limited needs of the country's armed forces. It was over the latter purchase that then British
International Development Secretary
Clare Short
expressed public outrage, resulting in her becoming known as 'Mama Radar' in the Tanzanian press.
Having left office due to a two term limit, Mkapa is dogged by many accusations of corruption among them improperly appropriating to himself and his former finance Minister Daniel Yona the lucrative "Kiwira Coal Mine" in the southern highlands of Tanzania without following procedures. By privatizing the Kiwira Coal Mine to himself, he broke the Tanzanian constitution which does not allow a president to do a business at state house.
He was appointed to Aga Khan University Board of Trustees in November 2007.
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
(1995–2005) and former Chairman for the Revolutionary State Party (Chama Cha Mapinduzi
Chama Cha Mapinduzi
The Chama cha Mapinduzi is the ruling political party of Tanzania.- History :The party was created February 5, 1977, under the leadership of Julius Nyerere as the merger of the Tanganyika African National Union , the then ruling party in Tanganyika, and the Afro-Shirazi Party , the then ruling...
, CCM).
Biography
Mkapa was born in 1938 in NdandaNdanda
Ndanda is a town in the Mtwara Region of southern Tanzania. Ndanda is home to Ndanda Secondary School, an A level all boys boarding school with approximately 1200 students....
, near Masasi
Masasi
Masasi is one of the 5 districts of the Mtwara Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the North by the Lindi Region, to the East by the Newala District, to the South by Mozambique and to the West by the Ruvuma Region....
in southern Tanganyika. He graduated from Makerere University
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
in 1962 with a degree in English. He also attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1963 was awarded a master’s degree in international affairs. Previous posts include being the administrative officer in Dodoma
Dodoma
Dodoma , officially Dodoma Urban District, population 324,347 , is the national capital of Tanzania, and the capital of the Dodoma region. In 1973, plans were made to move the capital to Dodoma...
and the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education. He also led the Tanzania mission to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was the Foreign affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
Minister from 1977 to 1980 and from 1984 to 1990.
In 1995, Mkapa was elected president based on a popular anti-corruption campaign and the strong support of former president Julius Nyerere
Julius Nyerere
Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian politician who served as the first President of Tanzania and previously Tanganyika, from the country's founding in 1961 until his retirement in 1985....
. Mkapa's anti-corruption efforts included creation of an open forum called the Presidential Commission on Corruption (Warioba Commission) and increased support for the Prevention of Corruption Bureau.
Mkapa's second 5-year term of office as President ended in December 2005. During this term in office, Mkapa privatized state-owned corporations and instituted free market policies. His supporters argued that attracting foreign investment would promote economic growth. His policies won the support of the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and resulted in the cancellation of some of Tanzania's foreign debts.
He has been criticized for some ineffectiveness of his anti-corruption efforts as well as for his lavish spending. He spent £15 million on a private presidential jet, as well as almost £30 million on military aviation equipment which experts deemed beyond the limited needs of the country's armed forces. It was over the latter purchase that then British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
International Development Secretary
Secretary of State for International Development
In the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for International Development is a Cabinet minister responsible for the Department for International Development and for promoting development overseas, particularly in the third world...
Clare Short
Clare Short
Clare Short is a British politician, and a member of the Labour Party. She was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood from 1983 to 2010; for most of this period she was a Labour Party MP, but she resigned the party whip in 2006 and served the remainder of her term as an Independent. She...
expressed public outrage, resulting in her becoming known as 'Mama Radar' in the Tanzanian press.
Having left office due to a two term limit, Mkapa is dogged by many accusations of corruption among them improperly appropriating to himself and his former finance Minister Daniel Yona the lucrative "Kiwira Coal Mine" in the southern highlands of Tanzania without following procedures. By privatizing the Kiwira Coal Mine to himself, he broke the Tanzanian constitution which does not allow a president to do a business at state house.
He was appointed to Aga Khan University Board of Trustees in November 2007.