This is a list of notable people from

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

Artists

* George Lilanga (1934–2005), Makonde artist

Business people

* Ali Mufuruki (1959–2019) * Mohammed Dewji (born 1975) * Reginald Mengi (c.1943–2019)

Musicians

Diamond Platnumz Nasibu Abdul Juma Issack (born 2 October 1989), popularly known by his stage name Diamond Platnumz, is a Tanzanian bongo flava recording artist, dancer, philanthropist and a businessman of Ha heritage. He is the founder and CEO of WCB Wasafi R ...

(born 1989), artist, songwriter and dancer *

Bill Nass William Nicholaus Lyimo (born 11 April 1993), popularly known by his stage name Bill Nass, is a Tanzanian rapper of Chagga heritage, he was born in Tanga, Tanga Region. MTV Base named him among the "50 Artists To Watch For In 2017". He is curre ...

(born 1993), rapper *

Ali Kiba Ali Saleh Kiba (born 1986), best known as Ali Kiba or sometimes King Kiba, is a Tanzanian singer and songwriter. He is from Kigoma and the owner of Kings Music label. Ali Kiba released his album ''Cinderella'' which broke record as the best- ...

(born 1980), artist, singer-songwriter, dancer and actor *

Nahreel Emmanuel Mkono (born 12 December 1989 in Dar es Salaam), known by his stage name Nahreel, is a Tanzanian Afro beats / Dancehall recording artist and record producer. He is the founder and current CEO of The Industry Studios. Nahreel is a co-foun ...

(born 1989), producer, artist in Navy Kenzo Duo group *

Cool James James Dandu (5 July 1970 – 26 August 2002), also known by his stage name Cool James, was a Tanzanian–Swedish rapper and record producer. Born in Mwanza, Tanzania and having finished his primary studies at Kurasini Primary School in Tanzania ...

(1970–2002), rapper *

Dully Sykes Dully Sykes (born Abdul Sykes on 4 December 1980) is a Tanzanian musician who sings majorly in the bongo flava genre. Biography Also known as Mr Misifa or Mr Chicks, Dully Sykes is a bongo flava artist from Tanzania, the grand son of Abdulw ...

(born 1981), rapper * Joseph Haule (Professor Jay) (born 1975), rapper * Baby Madaha (born 1988), singer * Ray C (born 1982), artist, singer-songwriter *

Harmonize In music, harmonization is the chordal accompaniment to a line or melody: "Using chords and melodies together, making harmony by stacking scale tones as triads". A harmonized scale can be created by using each note of a musical scale as a ...

(born 1991), musician *

Saida Karoli Saida Karoli (born April 4, 1976) is a traditionalist Tanzanian singer and performer who has staged live shows in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC. Karoli was born in 1976 in Rwongwe, a small village in the Bukoba Rural district ...

(born 1976), singer * Bi Kidude (c. 1910s–2013), Zanzibari

Taarab Taarab is a music genre popular in Tanzania and Kenya. It is influenced by the musical traditions of the African Great Lakes, North Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Taarab rose to prominence in 1928 with the advent of the ...

singer * George Kinyonga (died 1992), Kenyan/Tanzanian musician * Wilson Kinyonga (died 1995), Kenyan/Tanzanian musician *

Lady Jaydee Judith Wambura Mbibo (born 15 June 1979), known by her stage name Lady Jaydee also referred to as ''"Lady JayDee in town"'' or ''"Lady Jay Dee"'', is a Tanzanian singer. She specializes in the R&B, Zouk (musical movement), Zouk and Afro Pop genre ...

(born 1979), pop singer * Joseph Mbilinyi (Mr. II) (born 1972), rapper * Rose Mhando (born 1976), gospel singer *

Daniel Owino Misiani Daniel Owino Misiani (22 February 1940 – 17 May 2006) was a Tanzanian-born musician based in Kenya, where he led the Shirati Jazz collective. He was known as the "King of History" in Kenya; overseas and in Tanzania, he was known as "the grand ...

(1940–2006), Kenyan/Tanzanian

benga Benga may refer to: Ethnonym * Benga people, an indigenous ethnic group of Equatorial Guinea * Benga language, spoke by the Benga people * Benga music, a genre of music originating in Kenya Places Romania * ''Benga'', the old name of Mo ...

musician *

Tumi Molekane Tumi Molekane (born 16 August 1981) is a Tanzanian-born South African rapper and poet. He was the lead vocalist of Tumi and the Volume, that was officially disbanded in 2012. In 2016 Tumi relaunched himself as Stogie T and released an eponymous ...

(born 1981), South African/Tanzanian rapper *

Imani Sanga Imani Sanga is Professor of Music in the Department of Creative Arts, formerly called Department of Fine and Performing Arts, in the College of Humanities at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He teaches courses in Ethnomusicology, Philo ...

(born 1972), composer and ethnomusicologist * Siti binti Saad (1880–1950), Taarab singer * Nakaaya Sumari (born 1982), model and singer *

Hukwe Zawose Hukwe Ubi Zawose (1938 or 1940, Dodoma, Tanganyika – December 30, 2003, Bagamoyo, Tanzania) was a prominent Tanzanian musician. He was a member of the Gogo ethnic group and played the ''ilimba'', a large lamellophone similar to the ''mbira'', ...

(1938–2003), singer * Freddie Mercury (1946–1991), lead singer of Queen *

Mimi Mars Marianne Namshali Mdee (born June 21, 1992) popularly known by her stage name Mimi Mars is a Tanzanian singer, actress and media personality. Biography Mars was born on June 21, 1992, in Paris, France. She is the daughter of a former Tanzania ...

(born 1992), singer and actress * Barnaba Classic, singer-songwriter * Lucas Mkenda, singer *

Lava Lava A lavalava, also known as an ''ie'', short for 'ie lavalava, is an article of daily clothing traditionally worn by Polynesians and other Oceanic peoples. It consists of a single rectangular cloth worn similarly to a wraparound skirt or kilt. The ...

(born 1993), singer *

Darassa Shariff Thabit Ramadhan (born 3 September 1988), better known by his stage name Darassa is a Tanzanian rapper, recognized for his 2016 hit song 'Muziki', featuring Ben Pol. Career Darassa music career started in 2014 when he released the song ‘ ...

, rapper * Albert Mangwea, rapper * Abby Chams, singer and social activist * Aslay (born 1995), singer *

RJ The DJ Romeo George (born August 16, 1987) alias RJ The DJ and Romy Jon(e)s is a Tanzanian DJ, record producer and television actor. Career Jons worked as music video model, appearing on music videos before starting his debut career as a disc jokey in ...

, (born 1988), DJ, singer and actor * Gigy Money, (born 1998), singer and socialite

Politicians

* Bibi Titi Mohammed (1926–1963), founding member of the

Tanganyika African National Union The Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) was the principal political party in the struggle for sovereignty in the East African state of Tanganyika (now Tanzania). The party was formed from the Tanganyika African Association by Julius Nyerere ...

Jakaya Kikwete Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete (born 7 October 1950) is a Tanzanian politician who was the fourth president of Tanzania, in office from 2005 to 2015. Prior to his election as president, he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2005 under hi ...

(born 1950), President of Tanzania from 2005 to 2015 * Gertrude Mongella (born 1945), president of the Pan-African Parliament * William F. Shija (1947–2014), member of the

National Assembly of Tanzania The National Assembly of Tanzania ( sw, Bunge la Tanzania) and the President of Tanzania of the United Republic make up the Parliament of Tanzania. The current Speaker of the National Assembly is Tulia Ackson, who presides over a unicameral as ...

from 1990 to 2005 * Freeman Mbowe (born 14 September 1961), leader of CHADEMA *

Joseph Kakunda Joseph George Kakunda is a Tanzanian Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Ken ...

(born 1968), Minister of Trade, MP * Anna Abdallah (born 1940), Member of Parliament * Maida Abdallah (born 1970), Member of Parliament * Mohamed Rished Abdallah (born 1952), Member of Parliament * Mohammed Abdi Abdulaziz (born 1958), Member of Parliament * Bahati Ali Abeid (born 1967), Member of Parliament * Juma Jamaldin Akukweti (1947–2007), Member of Parliament *

Khadija Salum Ally Al-Qassmy Khadija Salum Ally Al-Qassmy (born April 5, 1958) is a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Tanzania. She is a member of the Civic United Front party. From 1978–1990 she was a teacher within the Ministry of Education of Zanzibar ...

(born 1958), Member of Parliament * Ali Haji Ali (born 1948), Member of Parliament * Ali Tarab Ali (born 1947), Member of Parliament * Fatma Ali (born 1950), Member of Parliament * Aziza Sleyum Ally, Member of Parliament * Ame Pandu Ame (born 1963), Member of Parliament * Ameir Ali Ameir (born 1961), Member of Parliament *

Paul Bomani Paul Lazaro Bomani (January 1, 1925 – April 1, 2005) was a Tanzanian politician and ambassador to the United States and Mexico. Biography Paul Bomani was born in 1925 in Ikuzi, Mara. He served as the Minister of Finance, Agricultur ...

(1925–2005), ambassador * Remidus E. Kissassi, member of the African Union's Pan-African Parliament * Tatu Mussa Ntimizi, Member of Parliament 1990–2010

Royalty

Abdullah bin Khalifa of Zanzibar Sir Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Said, , (12 February 1910 – 1 July 1963) ( ar, عبد الله بن خليفة), was the 10th Sultan of Zanzibar after the death of his father, Khalifa bin Harub of Zanzibar, Sir Khalifa bin Harub, who died on 9 ...

(1910–1963), tenth

Sultan of Zanzibar The sultans of Zanzibar ( ar, سلاطين زنجبار) were the rulers of the Sultanate of Zanzibar, which was created on 19 October 1856 after the death of Said bin Sultan, who had ruled Oman and Zanzibar as the sultan of Oman since 1804. Th ...

Thomas Marealle Chief Thomas Lenana Marealle II OBE (June 15, 1915 – February 14, 2007) was the Paramount Chief ( Mangi Mkuu) of the Chagga people of Tanzania and a politician. After winning a paramount chieftainship election, which he ran against Abdi Shan ...

(1915–2007), Paramount Chief of the

Chagga The Chaga or Chagga (Swahili language: WaChaga) are Bantu-speaking indigenous Africans and the third-largest ethnic group in Tanzania. They traditionally live on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and eastern Mount Meru in both Kilimanjaro Regi ...

people *

Mangi Meli Mangi (Chief) Meli (or Mangi Meli Kiusa bin Rindi Makindara) (died in 1900) was a leader of the Chaga in the late 1890s. He was hanged by the German colonial government in March 1900. Meli is one of the heroes of the former Tanganyika colony, ha ...

chief who was hanged by German colonialists *

Chief Mkwawa Chief Mkwavinyika Munyigumba Mwamuyinga (1855 – 19 July 1898), more commonly known as Chief Mkwawa or Sultan Mkwawa, was a Hehe tribal leader in German East Africa, based in Kalenga, Iringa region, who opposed the German colonization. The name ...

(1855–1898), Hehe chief *

Emily Ruete Emily Ruete (30 August 1844 – 29 February 1924), born in Zanzibar as Sayyida Salama bint Said (), also called Salme, was a Princess of Zanzibar and Oman. She was the youngest of the 36 children of Said bin Sultan, Sultan of the Omani Empire. She ...

(Sayyida Salme) (1844–1924), Princess of Zanzibar

Sportspeople

Hasheem Thabeet Hasheem Thabeet (born Hashim Thabit Manka on 16 February 1987) is a Tanzanian professional basketball player for the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for UConn before being drafted sec ...

(born 1986), basketball player * Mbwana Ally Samatta (born 1993), football player * Martin Kolikoli (born 1989), basketball player * Erasto Nyoni (born 2000), football player * Feisal Salum (born 1998), footballer

Writers

Christopher Mwashinga Christopher R. Mwashinga, Jr (born 9 January 1965) is a Tanzanian author and poet from Mbeya, Tanzania who lives in the United States. He has published books of Christian poetry, theology, mission, and religious history. His poetry has been p ...

(born 1965), writer and poet * Muhammed Said Abdulla (1918–1991), journalist and novelist * Euphrase Kezilahabi (1944–2020), novelist and poet * Amandina Lihamba (born 1944), playwright * Fadhy Mtanga (born 1981), writer, poet, photographer and blogger *

Godfrey Mwakikagile Godfrey Mwakikagile (born 4 October 1949 in Kigoma) is a prominent Tanzanian scholar and author specialising in African studies. He was also a news reporter for ''The Standard'' (later renamed the '' Daily News'') — the oldest and largest En ...

(born 1949), writer, scholar and specialist in Africa studies * Justinian Rweyemamu (1942–1982), economist, mathematician and writer * Leonard Shayo (born 1948), writer, mathematics, columnist * Julius Nyang'oro (born 1954), writer, political scientist and legal scholar * Mathias E. Mnyampala (1917–1969), lawyer, writer, and poet *

Shaaban bin Robert Shaaban bin Robert, also known as Shaaban Robert (1 January 1909 – 20 June 1962), was a Tanzanian poet, author, and essayist who supported the preservation of Tanzanian verse traditions. Robert is celebrated as one of the greatest Tanzanian S ...

(1909–1962), poet, author, essayist *

Julius Nyerere Julius Kambarage Nyerere (; 13 April 1922 – 14 October 1999) was a Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician, and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as president from 1962 to 1964, af ...

(1922–1999), politician, writer, philosopher * Sandra A. Mushi, interior designer, published author, poet * Richard Mabala, writer of short stories, columnist and poet (born 1949) *

Joseph Marwa Joseph Marwa may refer to: * Joseph Marwa (boxer) Joseph Marwa (born 15 July 1964 in Musoma) is a retired male boxing, boxer from Tanzania, who represented his native East African country in two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988 (Seoul ...

, novelist, poet and actor (born 1999) * Nahida Esmail, writer of short stories and social activist

Miscellaneous

* Jayantilal Chande (1928–2017), businessman and philanthropist * Patrick Chokala, ambassador to Russia * Sajjad Fazel, (born 1991), health researcher and columnist * Benjamin Fernandes (born 1992), TV presenter and public speaker * Geline Fuko (born c.1980), lawyer and human rights activist * Mustafa Hassanali (born 1980), fashion designer *

Salma Kikwete Salma Kikwete (born 30 November 1963) is a Tanzanian educator, activist, and politician who served as the First Lady of Tanzania from 2005 to 2015 as the wife of Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. Salma Kikwete originally worked as a teacher ...

(born 1963), wife of President

* Joyce Kinabo (born 1955), food scientist and researcher * Flaviana Matata (born 1987), fashion model *

Mirambo Mtyela Kasanda (1840–1884), better known as King Mirambo, was a Nyamwezi king, from 1860 to 1884. He created the largest state by area in 19th-century East Africa in present day Urambo district in Tabora Region of Tanzania. Urambo district is ...

(1840–1884), Nyamwezi warlord * Kinjikitile Ngwale (died 1905), medium and leader of the

Maji Maji Rebellion The Maji Maji Rebellion (german: Maji-Maji-Aufstand, sw, Vita vya Maji Maji), was an armed rebellion of Islamic and animist Africans against German colonial rule in German East Africa (modern-day Tanzania). The war was triggered by German Colon ...

John Okello John Gideon Okello (October 26, 1937 – ) was a Ugandan revolutionary and the leader of the Zanzibar Revolution in 1964. This revolution overthrew Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah and led to the proclamation of Zanzibar as a republic. Biography Y ...

(1937–1971), revolutionary *

Polycarp Pengo Polycarp Pengo (born 5 August 1944) is a prelate of the Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, from 1992 to 2019. A bishop since 1983, he was made a cardinal in 1998. Biography Polycarp Pengo was born on 5 August 1944. He ...

(born 1944), cardinal, archbishop of Dar es Salaam * Mr Puaz (born 1985), talent manager and entrepreneur * Rakesh Rajani (born 1966), world civil society leader *

Laurean Rugambwa Laurean Rugambwa (July 12, 1912 – December 8, 1997) was the first modern native African Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Dar es Salaam from 1968 to 1992, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1960. Biography Laure ...

(1912–1997), cardinal, archbishop of Dar es Salaam * Nancy Sumari (born 1986), Miss Tanzania 2005 * Anna Tibaijuka (born 1950), Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations * Maria Sarungi Tsehai, activist * Myles Turner (1921–1984), warden of the

Serengeti National Park The Serengeti National Park is a large national park in northern Tanzania that stretches over . It is located entirely in eastern Mara Region and north east portion of Simiyu Region and contains over of virgin savanna. The park was established in ...

Frederick Werema Frederick Mwita Werema (born 10 October 1955) served as Attorney General of Tanzania from 2009 until his resignation in 2014. Before his appointment Werema was High Court of Tanzania Judge in the Commercial Division. Early life and career Judge ...

(born 1954), former attorney general of Tanzania

References

{{Tanzania topics *