Ali Hassan Mwinyi | |
---|---|
2nd President of Tanzania | |
In office 5 November 1985 – 23 November 1995 |
|
Prime Minister |
Joseph Warioba (1985–90) John Malecela (1990–94) Cleopa Msuya (1994–95) |
Preceded by | Julius Nyerere |
Succeeded by | Benjamin Mkapa |
3rd President of Zanzibar | |
In office 30 January 1984 – 24 October 1985 |
|
Preceded by | Aboud Jumbe |
Succeeded by | Idris Abdul Wakil |
Personal details | |
Born |
Kivure, Pwani Region, Tanzania |
8 May 1925
Nationality | Tanzanian |
Political party | CCM |
Spouse(s) | Siti Mwinyi (m. 1960) |
Relations | Hussein Mwinyi (son) |
Children | 12 |
Religion | Islam |
Nickname(s) | Mzee Ruksa |
Ali Hassan Mwinyi (born May 8, 1925 in Kivure, Pwani Region, Tanzania) is a retired second President of the United Republic of Tanzania from 1985 - 1995.
Previous posts include Interior Minister and Vice President. He also was chairman of the ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) from 1990 to 1996.
During Mwinyi's terms Tanzania took the first steps to reverse the socialist policies of Julius Nyerere. He relaxed import restrictions and encouraged private enterprise. It was during his second term that multi-party politics were introduced under pressure from foreign donors. Often referred to as Mzee Rukhsa ("Everything goes"), he pushed for liberalization of morals, beliefs, values (without breaking the law) and the economy. He put these beliefs into practice by opposing religious fundamentalists who burned down pork butcheries; these were fanatics who claimed that eating pork contradicted their beliefs. He insisted that Tanzania was a free country and that individual freedom of beliefs was important. Many argue that during Mwinyi's tenure the country was in transition from the failed socialist orientation of Julius Nyerere that brought its economy to its knees. It was during Mwinyi's administration that Tanzania made some of the crucial decisions towards the liberalization of its economy that paved the way for short-term economic growth.
Mwinyi married Siti Mwinyi in 1960, with whom he has six sons and six daughters. In retirement, Mwinyi has stayed out of the limelight and continues to live in Dar es Salaam.