John Magufuli was the fifth president of Tanzania since its independence in 1961, chosen among more than 30 candidates by his Chama-Chap Mapindusi ruling party.
political party. He was elected president for the first time in October 2015, with 58%
of the vote, enjoying a high approval rating as Jakaia Kikwete's successor.
Before his rise to power, Magufuli came from a modest family. Although he obtained a degree
in chemistry, he had several stints as a minister from the early 2000s. Positions that saw him
entrusted with the portfolios of livestock and fisheries housed in the early 2000s.
and public works. Upon his election, he divided his own salary by four, making him one of
the lowest-paid African presidents. As head of state, he cut public spending drastically.
investing in education and the fight against poverty.
The late head of state was adored by the nation's poorest
as his empathy and resolute action in their favor
saw him earn the nickname Tinga Tinga, the bulldozer in Swahili,
sourced from construction programs of a housing project.
In addition, Magufuli put pressure on the big companies present in the country
to force them to let the Tanzanian state take a stake in their capital.
renegotiated the contracts of certain mining and gas companies,
and dismissed local executives deemed corrupt or incompetent.
John Magufuli was re-elected last October
in a contested election with more than 84 percent of the votes.