Julius Nyerere

About Julius Nyerere

The first President of Tanzania, known as Mwalimu or teacher. Nyerere was a committed socialist who implemented ujamaa, a policy of collectivized agriculture and self reliance. The policy was a failure, devastating the Tanzanian economy. However, Nyerere also unified a nation of 120 ethnic groups through a common language, Kiswahili, and prevented the ethnic conflicts that plagued neighboring countries. He voluntarily stepped down in 1985, rare among African leaders. Nyerere is respected for his integrity and nation building despite economic failures.