President Mkapa has made drastic changes in the upper ranks of the Union government by introducing 18 new faces and retaining only five of President Mwinyi’s cabinet. Nowhere to be seen are the strong men of the old CCM regime – former Prime Ministers John Malecela, Cleopa Msuya and Joseph Warioba, former Lands Minister Edward Lowassa, Party Secretary General Horace Kolimba, and Party ideologist Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru. The work of the former Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will in future be undertaken by the Prime Minister’s Office. The Civil Service and Manpower Development Ministry has been abolished. The former Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications has been divided into two.
The new 23-person cabinet is as follows:
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE: Planning – Daniel Yona
Without Portfolio – Matheo Quaresi
VICE-PRESIDENT – Dr. Omar Ali Juma. Formerly Chief Minister of Zanzibar.
VICE-PRESIDENT’S OFFICE: Mohammed Seif Khatib. New
PRIME MINISTER – Frederick Sumaye. New. Until recently Minister of Agriculture. Formerly Junior Minister and before that an engineer in agricultural machinery testing unit.
PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE: MINISTERS OF STATE – Bakari Mbonde – Mussa Nkangaa
FINANCE – Prof. Simon Mbilinyi. New. Respected academic. Presidential adviser with much international experience. just recently appointed Chairman of the new, largely indigenous ‘Akiba Commercial Bank’.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS – Lt. Col. Jakaya Kikwete, until recently Minister of Finance who was given the task of dealing with the fallout from the tax evasion scandal of last year. He won the first round in the selection process for CCM presidential candidates but lost to Mr Mkapa in the second round.
HOME AFFAIRS – Ali Ameir Mohamed. New. Formerly Deputy Secretary-General of the CCM in Zanzibar.
DEFENCE AND NATIONAL SERVICE – Edgar Maokola-Majogo. Former Junior Minister.
WORKS – Anna Abdallah. Until recently Minister of State, Prime Ministers Office.
JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS- Harith Bakari Mwapachu. New. Has held many managerial positions in parastatal organisations including Air Tanzania.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WOMEN AND CHILDREN – Mary Nagu. New
SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY AND HIGHER EDUCATION – Jackson Makwetta. Until recently Minister of Water, Energy and Minerals.
HEALTH – Mrs Zakia Meghji. The only Asian minister and the only person to retain her previous position.
ENERGY AND MINERALS – Dr William Shija. A former Minister of Information and Tourism.
WATER AND LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT – Dr. Pius Nrgwandu.
AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES – Paul Kimiti. Former Regional Commissioner. Has held other posts.
TOURISM AND NATURAL RESOURCES – Dr Juma Ngasongwa. New. Former Head of Department of Development Studies, Sokoine University. Until recently Economic Adviser to President Mwinyi.
LANDS, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT – Gideon Cheyo. New. Respected holder of many senior civil service appointments.
LABOUR AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT – Sebastian Kinyondo. New.
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS – William Kusila. New.
EDUCATION AND CULTURE – Prof. Juma Kapuya. New. Scientist at the University of Dar es Salaam
INDUSTRIES AND TRADE – Dr. Abdallah Kigoda. New
DEPUTY MINISTERS:
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE. MINISTER OF STATE: William Lukuvi Diria
FINANCE: Kilonsi Mporogomyi and Abdi Salim Issa
HOME AFFAIRS – Emmanuel Mwambulukutu
LAABOUR AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT – Njelu Kasaka
EDUCATION AND CULTURE – MS Gladness Mziray
INDUSTRIES AND TRADE – MS Shamim Khan
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS – Dr. Maua Daftari
ENERGY AND MINERALS – Nassoro Malocho
WORKS – John Magufuri
ZANZIBAR GOVERNMENT
For the first time the President and Chief Minister both come from Unguja. There is only one minister from Pemba.
CHIEF MINISTER – Dr. Mohamed Bilal (50). Nominated member. Until recently Benjamin Mkapa’s Permanent Secretary in the Union Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education.
DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER AND MINISTER OF EDUCATION – Omari Ramadhani Mapuri.
FINANCE – MS Amina Salim Ali. No change.
JUSTICE AND CONSITUTIONAL AFFAIRS – Idd Pandu Hassan
WATER, WORKS, ENERGY,AND ENVIRONMENT – Kamali Basha Pandu
MINISTER FOR REGIONAL AMDINISTRATION AND DEFENCE – Ali Haji Ali
AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND NATURAL RESOURCES – Brig. General Adam Mwakanjuki.
HEALTH – Said Bakari Jesha
COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT – Aman Abeid Karume
INFORMATION, CULTURE, TOURISM AND YOUTH – Issa Mohamed Issa
TRADE, COMMERCE AND MARKETING – Taimur Saleh Juma
MINISTERS WITHOUT PORTFOLIO – Mohamed Abdallah Khamis and Burham Sadat.
MINISTER OF STATE FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN – MS Asha Bakari Makame, the only minister from Pemba.
(Thank you Strato Mosha, Cuthbert Kimambo and Simon Mlay for sending the above information just in time for inclusion in this issue – Editor.)