Famous People from Tanzania. Tanzania is home to many stars, most of which are animals with four legs. The East African country is full of VIAs (Very Important Animals), from the Big Five to the Small Five, and from pretty giraffes to grumpy buffalos. But what about Tanzanians who walk on two legs but have done amazing things that have gotten a lot of attention? The world has been blessed with many famous and important people from Tanzania. Some of them you may already know. This piece is about ten of Tanzania’s most well-known people who have made a name for themselves both in their own country and around the world.

Julius Nyerere

As Prime Minister of Tanganyika from 1961 to 1962, Julius Nyerere played a key role in Tanzania’s anti-colonial drive. From 1962 to 1964, he was President of Tanganyika. From 1964 to 1985, he was President of Tanzania, the country that took over from Tanganyika.

Besides that, he helped to create and led the Tanganyika African National Union party and Chama Cha Mapinduzi, the party that took over after it, from 1954 to 1990. He strongly supported Ujamaa, a unique social and political theory, as a supporter of both African nationalism and African socialism.

That Julius Nyerere is a well-known and loved Tanzanian leader is not a surprise given all of these things. It is so well-known that in 2019 the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve was changed its name to Nyerere National Park.

Mrisho Jakaya Kikwete II

From 2005 to 2015, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete was Tanzania’s fourth president. He certainly deserves a spot on our list of the ten most famous people in the country. Before he became president, Kikwete helped the country’s ties with other countries while he was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2005, when Benjamin Mkapa was in charge.

But he also had a lot of power in local matters because he was in important places in regional groups. He was the head of the African Union from 2008 to 2009, and the head of the Southern African Development Community’s Peace, Defense, and Security Troika from 2012 to 2013.

Many famous Tanzanians hold Kikwete in high regard, and he is proud of his Tanzanian tribal background.

The Flaviana Matata

Next is Flaviana Matata, a famous Tanzanian fashion model and star who is loved by many. Forbes Africa named her one of the highest-paid models in Africa in 2013. She also made it to the list of the Top 100 Women in Africa, which was chosen by the people.

Her rise to fame began when she won the first Miss Universe Tanzania pageant in 2007. That same year, she went on to represent Tanzania in the Miss Universe contest. She made it to the top 15 semi-finalists and came in sixth place in the evening gown category.

She was the first person from Tanzania to participate in Miss Universe 2007, and she did so with a completely shaved head, which made a big deal. To be honest, she looked absolutely beautiful even without her long hair.

Ray C

Ray C is a famous Tanzanian singer who has been on the charts and made a name for himself in the country’s popular Afro-pop and Bongo Flava music scenes. She used to host shows at Clouds FM, a radio station in Dar es Salaam, for music fans before she became famous.

The first record she released, “Mapenzi Yangu,” was the start of her rise to fame as a famous Tanzanian. Ray C’s music has reached people outside of Tanzania, and she has performed in Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Mozambique, among other places. But her fame isn’t just limited to Africa. People in China, the UK, big parts of Europe, Australia, and Thailand dance to her unique style.

Ali Kiba

Ali is one of the most well-known artists in Tanzania because he is a very popular singer and songwriter. He is the head of the Kings Music label and is from Kigoma. His record “Cinderella” was a huge hit through that label. On top of that, it’s now the best-selling record in Africa.

According to the Tanzania Music Awards, Ali Kiba won five awards that year, making him the most decorated singer of that year and a major Tanzanian star.

James Christopher Mwashinga

The artist and poet Christopher Mwashinga is from Mbeya, Tanzania, but he now lives in the United States. His poetry is mostly about Christianity, and it has been featured in well-known US anthologies.

Hasheem Thabeet

In terms of sports, Hasheem Thabeet might be the most well-known Tanzanian. The Memphis Grizzlies picked him second overall in the 2009 NBA draft. He played college basketball at UConn (University of Connecticut). A lot of people have talked about Thabeet’s journey in the NBA. Some experts thought his performance as a top draft pick was very impressive because he was so talented and could read the game so well.

He went back to his home country of Tanzania in 2021. He played for Savio and helped them win the Dar es Salaam Regional Basketball League (RBA). The fans chose him as the Most Valuable Player of the Finals.

Diamond Platnumz

Nasibu Abdul Juma Issack is a Tanzanian bongo flava artist, dancer, humanitarian, and businessman who is best known as Diamond Platnumz. He started the WCB Wasafi Record Label, Wasafi Bet, and Wasafi Media and has a lot of power in East and Central Africa. He is of Ha ancestry. It’s interesting and pretty cool that Diamond is the first act from Africa to get a billion YouTube views.

He put out “A Boy from Tandale” after signing with Universal Music in 2017. Then, in 2021, Diamond Platnumz and WCB Wasafi joined forces with Warner Music Group and became famous in Tanzania among people of all ages.

Rajab Abdul Kahali

In Tanzania, Rajab Abdul Kahali is a huge name in the music scene, especially in the Bongo Flava genre. His stage name is Harmonize. Because his family is Makonde, he is often called “Konde Boy.”

Harmonize’s music career effortlessly moves between small villages in Tanzania and high-flying worldwide stages, just like Tanzania itself is very different.

Bernard Fernandes

Benjamin Fernandes is well-known as a businessman in Tanzania and as a past host of a national TV show. People in the US have heard of his great work with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Digital and Financial Services teams. This has made him famous on both sides of the Atlantic.

Fernandes is the first person from Tanzania to become an Africa MBA Fellow and attend the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is also the youngest African to be accepted into this elite school. He made history in 2017 by being the first person from Tanzania to graduate from both the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Would you like to see a bongo flava artist, a famous author reading poems, or other well-known Tanzanians in person? You can enjoy the beauty of Tanzania with Tanzania Zanzibar Safari, and you might even meet some of these famous people along the way! Even if it’s “only” the ones with four legs