Tanzania has lost one of its most defining figures. Edwin Mtei, the first Governor of the Bank of Tanzania and the fiery founder of the main opposition party Chadema, breathed his last in the early hours of Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Mtei, 94, died at his home in Arusha, marking the end of a chapter for a man whose life was a tapestry of Tanzania’s economic and political history. As the architect of the country’s central banking system and a fearless critic of the status quo, Mtei’s legacy is etched into the very shilling that circulates in Dar es Salaam today.

The Technocrat Who Said "No"

Before he was the face of the opposition, Mtei was the ultimate insider. Appointed as the first BoT Governor in 1966, he built the institution from scratch. He later served as the Minister for Finance and Planning (1978-1981). However, his most famous act in government was his resignation. In a principled break with Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Mtei walked away when he felt the socialist Ujamaa policies were driving the economy into the ground—a level of integrity rarely seen in modern African politics.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan led the nation in mourning, describing Mtei as a "patriot of distinction." Her condolences signal a thawing of political tensions, acknowledging a man who spent his later years as a thorn in the side of the ruling CCM party.

• Birth of the Opposition: In 1992, as multiparty democracy dawned, Mtei co-founded Chadema. Under his guidance, it grew from a fringe movement into a formidable political machine that challenged CCM’s hegemony, culminating in the fierce election battles of recent years.
• A "Kenyan" Connection: Mtei was an alumnus of Makerere University, studying alongside many of Kenya’s founding fathers. His economic philosophy often mirrored the market-driven approach of Kenya, putting him at odds with Tanzania's socialist roots.
• The Final Days: Chadema Chairman Freeman Mbowe revealed that Mtei had been ailing for some time. "The tree has fallen," Mbowe told the press, announcing a week of mourning where party flags will fly at half-mast.

A Legacy of Courage

Mtei’s death comes as Chadema celebrates its 33rd anniversary, a poetic timing that underscores his lifelong commitment to the cause. He was a man who believed that economic freedom and political freedom were inseparable. In his autobiography, he wrote of herding goats in Marangu as a boy, a humble beginning that grounded his worldview even as he walked the corridors of power.

For East Africa, Mtei's passing is a reminder of a fading generation of leaders who prioritized principle over profit. As Arusha prepares to lay him to rest this Saturday, the challenge for the new guard is whether they can match his intellectual rigour and his courage to speak truth to power.