User:George Nhigula

George Maige Nhigula was born in Kwimba in 1929. He was the second son of Mr Stephen Matalu Nhigula. After starting his primary education in Kwimba, George then went on to Tabora boys school for further secondary education. He excelled in his studies and then went to Makerere University where he obtained a B.A in Education. After completing his higher education George Nhigula started working as a teacher at old Moshi Secondary School in Moshi, Kilimanjaro region in what was then Tanganyika. Among some of his famous students is the industrialist and businessman Reginald Mengi and Arnold Kileo. George was then transferred to Malangali Secondary School in Iringa where he taught Mathematics and English. It was there in Malangali that one day after reading the national newspaper George saw an advertisement from the British colonial government that was seeking educated Tanzanians to attend an interview in the city of Dar es salaam for the purposes of establishing the Tanzanian Foreign Service. After encouragement from some of the local teaching staff in Malangali, George soon after travelled to Dar es salaam for the interview which he successfully passed. He soon after travelled to the United Kingdom to study Diplomacy at Pembroke College in Oxford University. George recalled the day when Tanganyika gained independence in December 1961 he was in London celebrating with the small Tanganyikan community comprised of students.

As soon as he finished his studies George was posted to the then Tanganyika High Commission in London as a diplomat He rose the ranks quickly due to his flair for diplomacy and administration and in 1964 George was sent to Sweden to establish the Tanzanian embassy. He made all the preparations and then handed it over to the newly appointed Ambassador. After that assignment George took a leave and returned to Tanzania. It was then that he was appointed Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Labour. He worked in that position from 1965 to 1967 where he was transferred to Washington D.C to work as Minister Counsellor under the late Ambassador Lukumbuzya. After 1 year George was transferred to Egypt to become Tanzanian's Ambassador. He then was transferred back to the U.K as Tanzanian High Commissioner from 1971 - 1974,then to Japan as Ambassador from 1974 - 1978, then to New Delhi, India as High Commissioner from 1978 - 1980. Ambassador George Nhigula finally returned to Tanzania after a long period abroad and was appointed Director of Asia and Australasia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1985 upon retirement from the civil service Ambassador George Nhigula decided to contest for the parliamentary seat in his home district of Kwimba Mwanza. He won the election convincingly and became Member of Parliament for Kwimba. During that parliamentary term Ambassador Nhigula was chosen to be the Deputy Speaker of the Tanzanian National Assembly after the death of his predecessor Augustine Shaba. From that period until 1990 Ambasssador Nhigula was Deputy Speaker under Chief Adam Sapi Mkwawa who was then Speaker. Ambassador Nhigula served another 5 years as Member of Parliament for Kwimba from 1990 - 1995.

In 1995 Ambassador Nhigula retired from Politics until his death on August 13 2011. He is survived by his wife Lois with 5 children and 8 grand children.