Samia appoints Masaju as Chief Justice to succeed Prof Juma
What you need to know:
- Before his appointment, Justice Masaju held various roles, including that of Attorney General.
Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed Court of Appeal Judge George Masaju as Tanzania’s new Chief Justice.
Justice Masaju succeeds Prof Ibrahim Juma, who has officially retired.
A statement issued by the State House on Friday, June 13, 2025, said Justice Masaju will be sworn in on June 15 at Chamwino State House in Dodoma.
Before his appointment, Justice Masaju held various roles, including that of Attorney General.
He served as Attorney General until February 1, 2018, having been appointed on January 3, 2015, by then President Jakaya Kikwete.
He also previously served as legal adviser to former President Kikwete during the fourth-phase administration.
Earlier this year, President Hassan appointed Justice Masaju as a member of the Land Issues Commission—one of two special teams formed to address long-standing concerns in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA).
The move followed the President’s pledge, made on December 1, 2024, during a meeting with Maasai traditional leaders from the NCA, to form commissions that would address their grievances.
The Land Issues Commission comprises nine members and is chaired by Court of Appeal Judge Dr Gerald Ndika.
Its members include retired Chief Secretary Philemon Luhanjo, former Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Zakia Meghji, High Court Judge, and Justice George Masaju.
Meanwhile, retired Permanent Secretary Musa Iyombe was appointed to lead the Relocation Assessment Commission.
Other members include former permanent secretaries Sihaba Nkinga and Alphayo Kidata, who currently serve as the President’s Adviser on Business Facilitation and Tax Matters.
