Biography

Julius Nyerere: Tanzania’s Founding President (1922-1999)

Early Life and Political Beginnings

• Born April 13, 1922 in Butiama, Tanganyika
• Educated at Makerere University (Uganda) and University of Edinburgh (UK)
• Worked as a secondary school teacher before entering politics
• Founded Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) in 1954

Leadership and Nation Building

Independence Era (1961-1964)

• Became Prime Minister at independence (December 9, 1961)
• Served as President of Tanganyika from 1962
• United Tanganyika and Zanzibar to form Tanzania (April 26, 1964)

Domestic Policies

Education Development:

• Primary school enrollment increased from 486,000 (1961) to 3.5 million (1985)
• Literacy rate rose from 17% (1961) to 91% (1986)

Social Programs:

• Instituted universal primary education policy
• Expanded healthcare access in rural areas
• Promoted Swahili as national unifying language

Economic Approach:

• Implemented Ujamaa (African socialism) policy from 1967
• Focused on rural development and self-reliance
• Maintained economic stability during global oil crises

International Relations

• Active in Non-Aligned Movement
• Supported liberation movements in Southern Africa
• Provided refuge for anti-apartheid activists

Transition and Legacy

• Voluntarily stepped down in 1985
• Remained chairman of Chama Cha Mapinduzi until 1990
• Died October 14, 1999 in London
• Tanzania maintained political stability throughout his tenure

Key Statistics

Indicator	1961	1985
Primary Enrollment	486,000	3.5M
Literacy Rate	17%	91%
GDP Growth	4.1%	3.2%