Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is in mourning following the death of veteran statesman, economist and opposition leader Edwin Isaac Mbilinyi Mtei, a towering figure in the country’s economic and political history, who passed away late on the night of January 19, 2026, in Arusha.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in an official statement, said she had received the news of Mtei’s death with deep sorrow and extended condolences on behalf of the government and in her personal capacity to the family, relatives, friends and all those affected by the loss.
She described the late Mtei as a distinguished public servant and visionary leader whose contribution to nation-building, particularly in the economic and financial sectors, left an enduring imprint on Tanzania’s history.
Born on July 12, 1932, in Marangu, Moshi District, Kilimanjaro Region, Mtei’s life was defined by an extraordinary journey from humble beginnings to the highest levels of public service.
Raised by his mother in a grass-thatched hut, he attended primary education at Marangu Native Authority School before proceeding to Old Moshi Junior Secondary School and later Tabora Secondary School.
As a child, he herded goats after school hours, an experience he later reflected upon in his autobiography as formative to his character and discipline.
In the 1950s, Mtei joined Makerere University College, where he graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, History and Geography.
He briefly worked in Kenya before entering public service in Tanganyika, embarking on a career that would place him at the centre of some of the most consequential economic decisions of the post-independence era.
Mtei became Tanzania’s first Governor of the Bank of Tanzania, a role in which he is widely regarded as the architect of central banking in the country.
He later served as minister of Finance from 1977 to 1979.
His tenure in government was marked by intellectual independence and policy conviction.
One of the most notable episodes of his career came when he stepped down as minister of Finance amid disagreements over negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
While prevailing narratives at the time suggested dismissal, Mtei later clarified in his autobiography, From Goatherd to Governor that he resigned voluntarily, offering his own account of the ideological and policy differences that shaped that moment.
President Samia, in her message, noted that beyond his economic stewardship, Mtei would also be remembered as one of the pioneers of multiparty democracy in Tanzania.
In 1992, following the reintroduction of multiparty politics, he co-founded Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) and became its first chairman, playing a central role in establishing the opposition party as a significant force in national politics.
The party received provisional license on July 1, 1992 and a permanent registration six months later.
Chadema announced Mtei’s death in a statement issued as the party marks its 33rd anniversary week, culminating on January 21, 2026, the date it received its permanent registration certificate in 1993.
The party declared seven days of mourning, during which its flags will be flown at half-mast, and said further details regarding public viewing and burial arrangements would be communicated.
Even after retiring from active politics, Mtei remained a forthright public intellectual, frequently commenting on economic and political developments with characteristic candour.
In his later years, he lived on his farm in Tengeru, Arusha Region, continuing to engage national debates with clarity and conviction.
He would be buried on Saturday, 24 January 2026, at his family home in Tengeru, just outside Arusha city.
