Augustino Mrema

Augustino Lyatonga Mrema (31 December 1944 – 21 August 2022) was a Tanzanian politician, who served as minister of home affairs from 1990 to 1995.

Honourable
Augustino Mrema
MP
Member of Parliament
In office
November 2010 – November 2015
Preceded byAloyce Kimaro
Succeeded byJames Mbatia
ConstituencyVunjo
In office
1985–1995
ConstituencyMoshi Rural
11th Minister of Home Affairs
In office
1990–1995
Preceded byNalaila Kiula
Succeeded byErnest Nyanda
Chairperson of Tanzania Labour Party
In office
1998 – 21 August 2022
Preceded byPost established
Succeeded byHamad Mkadam Rajab
Chairperson of NCCR-MAGEUZI
In office
1995–1999
Succeeded byJames Mbatia
Deputy Prime Minister of Tanzania
In office
1992–1994
PresidentAli Hassan Mwinyi
Preceded bySalim Ahmed Salim
Succeeded byDoto Biteko
Personal details
Born
Augustino Lyatonga Mrema

(1944-12-31)31 December 1944
Tanganyika
Died21 August 2022(2022-08-21) (aged 77)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Political party
Alma materSingachini Teachers Training College
Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy
Pacific Western University

After switching party affiliation in February 1995,[1] he joined NCCR-Mageuzi before moving on to Tanzania Labour Party (TLP), where he was made the party chairman. He also served as the member of parliament for Vunjo constituency, on multiple occasions, until 2015, when he was defeated in the national election by James Mbatia of NCCR Mageuzi. In early 2016, Mrema was appointed a chairperson of the Tanzania Parole Board by the president, John Magufuli.[2]

Mrema was of Chagga heritage from Kiraracha village, on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. He was the second of five siblings.

Education

From 1955 until 1963, Mrema attended primary and secondary education at Moshi, thereafter joining St.Patrick Teachers training college also in Moshi where he finished his Secondary education in 1965. In 1968, Mrema sat for the Cambridge University O-level exams. He joined the Kivukoni Political Education College, after which he was sent to Marangu for further training.

Government positions

Mrema has been in the Tanzanian government, National Security Organisation and in Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) since 1966; he has held the following 5 positions as follows:

  • Rural Civics Teacher 1974–1980
  • Teacher at the National Security College 1980–1982
  • Assistant Deputy for National Security in the Dodoma Region 1982–1984
  • Chief Deputy for National Security in Dodoma Region 1983–1984
  • Chief Deputy for National Security in Shinyanga Region 1985–1987

Political career

Even though Mrema has contested every presidential election in Tanzania since the country instituted a multiparty system in the early 1990s, his political career started in 1985 when he tried to run for MP in his home district of Kilimanjaro. His candidacy was blocked by the High Court, and in 1987 he was officially announced as the winner after a lengthy appeals process. He was able to retain his seat in 1990 without stiff competition. The fact that he was an MP enabled the president to appoint him to various cabinet positions. From 1990 to 1995, Mrema held various cabinet and high level government positions:

  • Minister of Interior 1990–1994
  • Minister of Labour, Development and Sports 1994–1995

Mrema left CCM in 1995 and joined a new political party National Convention for Construction and Reform-Mageuzi. In the first multiparty election in 1995, he ran on the ticket of the National Convention for Construction and Reform-Mageuzi (NCCR-Mageuzi), and won 27.77% of the vote. He finished third behind the then-incumbent president, Benjamin Mkapa, of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and Ibrahim Lipumba of the Civic United Front (CUF), capturing 7.80% of the vote, this time on the ticket of the TLP. Running again as the TLP presidential candidate in the 2005 election, Mrema was fourth out of ten candidates, winning 0.75% of the vote. By this time he got presidential appointment as parole board chairperson from 2016 to 2019.

Death

Mrema died in Muhimbili Hospital Dar es Salaam on 21 August 2022 06:15 am, at the age of 77.[3]

References
  1. tzaffairs.org
  2. "Member of Parliament CV". Parliament of Tanzania. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  3. "Veteran politician, Augustino Mrema dies while being treated at Muhimbili National Hospital". songstz.com. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
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