Benjamin Mkapa Explained

Order:3rd
Office:President of Tanzania
Term Start:23 November 1995
Term End:21 December 2005
Vicepresident:Omar Ali Juma
Ali Mohamed Shein
1Namedata:Cleopa Msuya
Frederick Sumaye
Predecessor:Ali Hassan Mwinyi
Successor:Jakaya Kikwete
Office2:Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education
Term Start2:1992
Term End2:1995
President2:Ali Hassan Mwinyi
Office3:Minister for Information and Broadcasting
Term Start3:1990
Term End3:1992
President3:Ali Hassan Mwinyi
Birth Date:12 November 1938
Birth Place:Ndanda, Masasi, Tanganyika
Death Place:Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Nationality:Tanzanian
Spouse:Anna Joseph Maro
Party:CCM
Other Party:TANU
Children:2
Alma Mater:Makerere University(B.A.)
Columbia University(M.A.) Open University of Tanzania
Birth Name:Benjamin William Mkapa

Benjamin William Mkapa (12 November 193824 July 2020)[1] was the third president of Tanzania, in office from 1995 to 2005. He was Chairman of the Revolutionary State Political Party (Chama Cha Mapinduzi, CCM).

Early life

Mkapa was born in Lupaso, near Masasi, Tanganyika, on 12 November 1938.[2] He graduated from Makerere University in Uganda in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. He went on to study at Columbia University the following year, and earned a master's degree in International Affairs.[3]

Previous posts include being an administrative officer in Dodoma and the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education. Mkapa was the head of the Tanzanian mission to Canada in 1982 and to the United States in 1983–84.[4] He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1977 to 1980 and again from 1984 to 1990, before meeting his best friend Edward Mwassaga.

Presidency

In 1995, Mkapa was elected as 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. His second five-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 was 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 from BAE Systems, which experts deemed beyond the limited needs of the country's armed forces.[5] It was over the latter purchase that British International Development Secretary Clare Short expressed public outrage, resulting in her becoming known as 'Mama Radar' in the Tanzanian press.[6]

Post-presidency

Having left office due to a two-term limit, Mkapa was 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 lawful procedures. For privatizing the mine to himself, he was accused of a breach of the Tanzanian constitution, which does not allow a president to do business at the state house.[7]

In 2007, Mkapa was part of the African Union's Panel of Eminent African Personalities, who were deployed to Kenya to resolve political violence that had broken out due to disputed election results. Mkapa - along with humanitarian and former First Lady of Mozambique and South Africa, Graça Machel and former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan (Chair) - led the group in mediation efforts that resulted in the signing of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act of 2008.[8]

Mkapa served as a trustee of the Aga Khan University from 2007 to 2012.[9]

Death

Mkapa suffered from malaria and treated on 22 July 2020. He died of heart attack in Dar Es Salaam in the early hours of 24 July at the age of 81.[10] Tanzanian President, John Pombe Magufuli, announced his death. The last farewell was conducted by Tanzania People's Defense Forces. He was laid to rest in his hometown of Lupaso, Masasi.[11]

In recognition of the role Mkapa played in resolving Kenya's 2007/2008 post-election violence, Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, declared a three-day period of national mourning following his death, ordering all flags at public buildings and grounds to fly at half-mast.[12]

Honours and awards

Honours

OrderCountryYearRef
Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (Chief) Kenya2005[13]
Order of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere2011[14]

Awards

Honorary degrees

University Country Degree Year
Honorary degree1998[16]
Honorary degree 1999
Open University of TanzaniaHonorary degree 2003
2005[17]
2005[18]
Honorary degree 2006
2007[19]
2008[20]
2009[21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Tanzania's Former President Benjamin Mkapa Dies, Presidency Says. The New York Times. Reuters. 23 July 2020. 24 July 2020. 24 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200724060032/https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/07/23/world/africa/23reuters-tanzania-mkapa.html. dead.
  2. News: Just In: Former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa has died. Fabrice. Iranzi. 23 July 2020. 25 July 2020. RegionWeek.
  3. https://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Benjamin_W._Mkapa.aspx
  4. http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-media-centre/news/WCMS_007824/lang--en/index.htm ILO Tackles Social Consequences of Globalization
  5. Gideon Burrows, "We sell arms to Saddam's friends", New Statesman, 8 September 2003
  6. News: Short defends personal jet for Tanzania's president. David. Hencke. 27 July 2002. 23 July 2020. The Guardian. London.
  7. Book: A Decade of Tanzania: Politics, Economy and Society 2005-2017. Brill Publishers. 1 July 2019. Hirschler. Kurt. Hofmeier. Rolf. 84–85. 9789004407879.
  8. News: South Consulting. December 2011. The Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation: Building a Progressive Kenya.
  9. http://www.aku.edu.pk/university/bot/bwm.shtml "His Excellency Benjamin William Mkapa"
  10. News: 27 July 2020. Former Tanzania's president Benjamin Mkapa suffered from malaria, not Covid-19-family. Africanews. 27 July 2020.
    News: 23 July 2020. Tanzania's former President Benjamin Mkapa dies. Al Jazeera. 23 July 2020.
  11. Web site: 2020-11-01 . Former President Benjamin Mkapa laid to rest . 2023-07-19 . The Citizen . en.
  12. Web site: nairobi. 2020-07-24. Mkapa: Kenya declares three days of mourning, flags to fly at half-mast. 2021-08-31. kenya. en-US.
  13. Web site: Mkapa lauds Kenya's democratic posture. 12 October 2005. panapress.com. 8 February 2013.
  14. News: Anniversary : Happy anniversary Mkapa,'Fathers' and World Pneumonia Day Nov 12. Karl. Lyimo. 12 November 2016. 24 July 2020. The Citizen.
  15. Web site: JGI awards global leaders at 30th anniversary bicoastal events . 10 October 2007. Jane Goodall Institute. 8 February 2013.
  16. Web site: 83RD Annual District Conference & Assembly. 17 May 2008. Page 10, Rotary International District 9200. https://web.archive.org/web/20130625105127/http://www.rotary9200.org/downloads/districtconference/83rd%20D9200%20Conference%20Report%20-%20%20Final.pdf. 25 June 2013. 7 February 2013.
  17. Web site: HONORARY DEGREE Recipients. National University of Lesotho. 12 November 2014.
  18. Web site: Prominent Alumni. Kenyatta University. 7 February 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140702203026/http://www.ku.ac.ke/alumni/alumni-nomination/prominent-alumni. 2 July 2014.
  19. Web site: Citation: Benjamin William Mkapa DCL. 2007. Newcastle University. 7 February 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130531053328/http://www.ncl.ac.uk/congregations/assets/documents/BenjaminMkapa.pdf. 31 May 2013. dead.
  20. Web site: UCC honours former Tanzanian leader. modernghana.com. 23 May 2013.
  21. Web site: H.E. Benjamin Mkapa receives Makerere Honorary PhD. 27 November 2009. Makerere University. 7 February 2013.