KNOW YOUR CANDIDATE: With SAU, I’ll guide Tanzania toward self-reliant, inclusive growth

BORN on May 10, 1980, at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Majalio Kyara is the firstborn of six children to Paul Henry Kyara and his wife Anitha.
He began his education at Ubungo National Housing Primary School before completing primary studies at Mapambano in 1994.
Thereafter, he attended Jitegemee Secondary School in Temeke, completing Form Four in 1998 and later studied tourism at Magogoni College.
Between 2000 and 2002, he pursued a diploma in Accounting and Hotel Management at Masoka College, Kilimanjaro, where he was named overall best student, receiving award from then-President Benjamin Mkapa. Mr Kyara later diversified into business and agriculture, running MK Pharmacies, Legho Hotel in Ubungo, a pest control company and maize farms in Dodoma.
He also pursued short online courses in business management, marketing and design. In the political realm, Mr Kyara joined Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) in 1999 as a youth member inspired partly by his father, a senior member of the opposition party.
However, in 2005 he joined another political party- Sauti ya Umma (SAU), which had been formed by CHADEMA leaders who broke away after disputed internal elections.
He steadily rose through SAU ranks, becoming Coast Regional chairman in 2008 after SAU fronted him in 2010. Mr Kyara is married to Matilda, with whom he has six children, four of whom are surviving.
Mr Kyara says his family’s support has been a pillar of strength in his political journey. Now in the race, Majalio Kyara is contesting for the Presidency under the Sauti ya Umma (SAU) party in the 2025 General Election scheduled for 29 October 2025.
His bid comes at a time when more than 30 million registered voters are preparing to elect national leaders for the next five years in what will be the country’s seventh multiparty General Election.
Mr Kyara, a seasoned politician with a background in grassroots mobilisation and national policy advocacy, enters the race with a platform anchored on three key pillars: Agriculture, industry and technology.
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His vision, carefully built through 19 months of nationwide consultations and expert research, seeks to place Tanzania on a path of self-reliance and inclusive economic growth.
“Our manifesto is built on agriculture, industry and technology because these are the engines that can transform Tanzania’s economy and improve the lives of our people,” Kyara explains.
He added, “it is not that we are neglecting other sectors like education or health, but our research shows that these three areas are the foundation of everything else.
” For Kyara, agriculture is not merely an economic sector but the lifeblood of the nation’s health and prosperity. SAU plans to promote organic farming to ensure that food produced is safe, nutritious and sustainable. He strongly advocates for the revival of indigenous seeds to reduce costs for farmers and safeguard food security. “If tomorrow commercial seed suppliers decide to stop selling maize seed, what will happen to our people? We must protect and multiply our own traditional seeds so that farmers can plant, harvest, eat and replant without fear of exploitation,” he stresses.
Kyara warns that overreliance on chemically treated hybrid seeds not only raises production costs but also threatens long-term public health. He links the rise of lifestyle diseases in children and young adults to poor-quality food.
“What we eat today builds or destroys the health of the next generation,” he says.
SAU also pledges to invest in irrigation schemes and large dams to expand farming beyond seasonal rainfall and to create jobs for youth and women.
The party plans to provide training and accessible credit to farmers to turn agriculture into a profitable and modern sector. If agriculture is the lifeblood, Kyara describes industry as the backbone of Tanzania’s economic future. SAU proposes the establishment of industrial clusters near farming zones to prevent post-harvest losses and increase the value of raw produce.
“Right now, farmers grow tomatoes or oranges that end up rotting because there are no nearby factories to process them. We will help farmers form cooperatives, access loans and set up small processing plants so that they can make products like tomato paste or juice,” he explains.
Kyara also emphasises the need to lower energy costs to make local manufacturing competitive. He envisions a mixed energy model that includes solar and other renewable sources.
“Just as the liberalisation of mobile phone services improved access and lowered prices, we must expand and diversify power supply to drive industrial growth,” he argues.
The third pillar of Kyara’s agenda is technology, which he calls “a limitless frontier of opportunity.” SAU plans to create a national programme to identify and nurture young innovators, with a special focus on software development and programming.
The party promises to fund and mentor talented youth to become creators of homegrown digital solutions.
“Technology is both an opportunity and a challenge. We must guide our young people to use it for national development, not destruction,” Kyara says.
While agriculture, industry and technology form the core of SAU’s manifesto, Kyara insists that education, health and social welfare will not be sidelined.
The party pledges to strengthen basic healthcare services, expand access to quality education and improve water supply and housing. Kyara underscores the need to prioritise local investors in Tanzania’s economic growth.
“No country can build a strong economy without its own people at the centre. We will create an environment where Tanzanians can invest and compete globally,” he declares.
With a firm belief in Tanzania’s natural wealth and human potential, Majalio Kyara urges citizens to use the 2025 election to choose leaders who will bridge the gap between government and the people.
“Tanzania is blessed with fertile land and abundant resources. With proper planning and inclusive governance, we can feed Africa and secure a prosperous future for our children,” he says.
As the campaign season unfolds, Kyara’s candidacy under SAU offers voters a choice rooted in self-reliance, economic empowerment and people-centred leadership, a vision aimed at transforming Tanzania from the ground up.