Background
Mohamed Khefacha was born on October 11, 1916, at Monastir.
Mohamed Khefacha was born on October 11, 1916, at Monastir.
Educated locally, then at Tunis, where he completed his secondary education at Sadiki College. After studying law at Algiers he was admitted to the Bar at Tunis in November 1942.
His nationalist enthusiasm and his legal expertise were employed from the outset of his career in defending Tunisian revolutionaries in court. He appeared in military as well as civil courts to help nationalists. In 1950 he was elected president of the Union of Young Advocates.
After independence he was appointed Controller-General of Customs on December 6, 1956, and proceeded to reorganise the whole system of taxation. On December 30, 1958, he was mad Secretary of State for Justice and held the post for eight years, during which he codified the laws on commerce and nationality. From October 4, 1960, to January 30, 1961, he also acted as Secretary of State for Finance.
On September 5, 1966, he became Secretary of State for Public Health and devoted himself to reorganising the hospital services and the prescription of medicines. On September 8, 1969, he was appointed Secretary of State for the Interior and two months later became Minister of the Interior on November 7. He was dropped from the cabinet in March 1973 after the escape of Ahmed Ben Salah, former Secretary of State, from prison serving a sentence for treason. He won his way back to the cabinet three months later as Minister of Public Works and Housing.
Leading barrister who made his reputation defending Tunisian patriots in court during the days of French colonial administration. A born reformer who not only brought the legal system up to date but also reorganised the health service. A member of the ruling party’s politbureau and the central committee, he played an important role as Minister of the Interior for over three years.
