Background
Msuya was born on January 4, 1931 in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
Cleopa David Msuya
Edit ProfileEducation
A Christian in a predominantly Muslim district, he went to the Lutheran Primary School, Old Moshi Secondary School and into two top classes of Tabora Secondary School, which received the best pupils from all over the country. Going to Makerere University College in 1952, he took his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1955, after reading geography, history and political science.
Career
He then went into government service in the Department of Community Development, in 1956, serving as an officer in the field before being posted to Dar es Salaam in 1960 and rising to head of his department as Commissioner for Community Development in 1962.
As a civil servant, he was not able to join TANU but when this rule was relaxed in 1964, he joined the party, though he had to devote most of his time to his work as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development (1964-5), Principal Secretary in Lands Settlement and Water Development (1965-7) and in Economic and Development Planning (1967-70).
In 1970 he joined the Treasury under the brilliant Asian Minister, Amir Jamal, where he learned the problems of husbanding Tanzania’s slender financial resources and preserving its good financial standing at a time when rapid investment was straining Tanzania’s reserves. His appointment as Finance Minister came when he thought he had reached the summit of his career as a civil servant. President Nyerere appointed him as one of the 10 nominated members allowed under the constitution.
Connections
In 1959 he married Rhoda Christopher.
