The first president of Tanzania was Julius Nyerere. He became the president in 1961 when Tanganyika gained independence. Nyerere was also the chairman of the ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), which was formed in 1967.
He played a significant role in the social development of Tanzania, aiming to create a classless society with a reduced wealth gap. Nyerere retired in 1985 and was succeeded by Ali Hassan Mwinyi. The first multi-party election in Tanzania was held in 1995, and Benjamin Mkapa was elected as the president.
