Cleopa David Msuya (4 January 1931 – 7 May 2025) was the

Prime Minister of Tanzania The prime minister of Tanzania is the leader of government business in the National Assembly of Tanzania. The position is subordinated to the president of Tanzania, who is the actual head of government. The functions and powers of the prime min ...

from 7 November 1980 to 24 February 1983 and again from 7 December 1994 to 28 November 1995.

Personal life

Msuya was born on 4 January 1931 in Chomvu, Usangi, now in the Mwanga District of

Kilimanjaro Region Kilimanjaro Region (''Mkoa wa Kilimanjaro'' in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative Regions of Tanzania, regions. The regional capital and largest city is the municipality of Moshi, Tanzania, Moshi. With the 3rd highe ...

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, ''ThisDay'', 31 May 2006. He attended Makerere University College from 1952 to 1955 and worked for social and community development in rural areas from 1956 to 1964.

Political career

Beginning in 1964, he served as Permanent Secretary at a number of ministries: he was Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Community Development and Culture from 1964 to 1965, at the Ministry of Lands Settlement and Water Development from 1965 to 1967, at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning from 1967 to 1970, and at the Ministry of Finance from 1970 to 1972. He became Minister for Finance on 18 February 1972 and served in that position until he became Minister for Industry on 3 November 1975. After five years as Minister for Industry, he became Prime Minister in November 1980, serving until February 1983; he was then Minister for Finance again from February 1983 to November 1985. On 6 November 1985, his portfolio was expanded and he became Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and Planning until March 1989. From March 1989 to December 1990, he was Minister for Finance again, and from March 1990 to December 1994 Minister for Industry and Trade. In December 1994, Msuya became Prime Minister for a second time, concurrently serving as

Vice President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

. He was replaced in those posts in November 1995. In the 1995 parliamentary election, he was elected to the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

again and served out the parliamentary term as a backbencher. He retired on 29 October 2000.

Later years

After his retirement, Msuya was active in the

Chama Cha Mapinduzi The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM, ) is the dominant, ruling party in Tanzania and the second longest-ruling party in the history of Africa, only after the True Whig Party of Liberia. It was formed in 1977, following the merger of the Tanganyika A ...

(CCM). As of 2006, he remained on the CCM's National Executive Committee. Also as of 2006, he was also Chairman of the Kilimanjaro Development Forum. On 23 October 2019, Cleopa Msuya, at the age of 88, was appointed Chancellor of the Ardhi Institute by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania. He died from cardiac complications on 7 May 2025 at the age of 94, at Mzena hospital in

Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam (, ; from ) is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania. It is also the capital of the Dar es Salaam Region. With a population of over 7 million people, Dar es Salaam is the largest city in East Africa by population and the ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Msuya, Cleopa 1931 births 2025 deaths People from Kilimanjaro Region Chama Cha Mapinduzi MPs Prime ministers of Tanzania Vice-presidents of Tanzania Ministers of finance of Tanzania Industry ministers of Tanzania Planning ministers of Tanzania Trade ministers of Tanzania Makerere University alumni 20th-century Tanzanian politicians