Professor Kighoma Malima was born in Marui village Kisarawe District on 15 December, 1938. He was named Abdallah, after his paternal grandfather who died in the World War I. He was born to Ali bin Abdallah Kighoma Malima and Habiba bint Suleiman wa Bura.
He attended primary and secondary school from 1948 to 1957 in Marui Primary School and then proceeded to Mzumbe Secondary School and Tabora Boys Secondary School.
Malima cut short his studies in 1957 to join TANU and struggle for independence under the leadership of Julius Nyerere. After independence Malima was appointed District Secretary in Masasi and Njombe. In June 1961 he attended a short course at Kivukoni Ideological College, Dar es Salaam before leaving for United States in 1962 for further studies at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire where he obtained a Bachelor in Economics in 1965.
Kighoma Malima and Mariam Fivawo met in Boston, Master of Arts in 1965.
Mariam/Venantia had just graduated from Regis College, Weston, Master of Arts and Kighoma Malima had graduated from Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. He then proceeded to Princeton University and was awarded another Master of Arts in Economics in 1970. He then became a lecturer at University of Dar es Salaam.
Malima was the first Tanzanian to teach economics at University of Dar es Salaam. Malima and Mariam have six children.
Soon after he began to work on his Doctor of Philosophy (International Trade and Economic Development) from Princeton University which he successfully defended in 1971.
