Danford W.S Mpumilwa

Danford William Samwel Mpumilwa was born on 31 October 1954 in Tukuyu, Mbeya region, where his father, the late William Samwel Mpumilwa was a teacher of a Lutheran Church primary school. His father, son of the late Samwel Mpumilwa, hails from Chalowe village in Mdandu ward. His mother is Rhoda Merere, daughter of the late Rev. Lutangilo Merere of Uhambule village, in Wanging’ombe ward. All the villages are in Njombe district, Iringa region.

Danford Mpumilwa began school in 1961 at Madilu, later Wangama primary school, in Imalinyi ward. He attended his Class V to VII at Tandala Upper Boys Primary School from 1965 to 1967. From 1968 to 1973 he joined Mkwawa High School in Iringa town for his secondary and high school education. In 1974 he joined the National Service under – Operation Ukombozi. Later in the year he was among the lucky few boys who were selected to join the University of Dar es Salaam where he successfully attained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in 1977.

He immediately, in the same year, joined the Government-owned Tanzania Standard Newspapers, publishers of the Daily News ND Sunday News as a journalist. He performed his journalistic duties diligently up to 1981 when he joined the Tanzania Tourist Corporation (TTC) as its Public Relations and Advertising Manager. He worked in this capacity, promoting the country’s tourist attractions and image, up to 1986 when he was appointed Director of Conferences and Marketing of the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC). His meticulous performance in his new duties saw him in 1996 getting a job with the United Nations as an Information and Public Affairs Officer with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) where he is still working to-date.

Danford Mpumilwa also holds a Diploma in Journalism from the International Institute of Journalism, Berlin, Germany in 1990. Over and above that he has attained a Certificate in Management and Marketing from the Atlanta International Management Institute in Georgia, USA in 1993. He has, over the years, also attended several short courses and participated in many local and international conferences in several countries including USA, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Russia, Australia, Singapore, Senegal, Ethiopia, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mauritius and Zambia.

Danford Mpumilwa has had a rich and varied experience in leadership and management as follows:

Danford Mpumilwa has been actively engaged in various development activities of TANU and later CCM. He has written extensively several analytical and enlightening articles in the Government-owned newspapers and other publications on the ruling party’s philosophy and development objectives from the time of Mwalimu Nyerere to the present day. In Arusha, he was an active member of the ‘CCM Ishinde’ campaign group during the 2005 national elections. He is a card carrying member of CCM. Mpumilwa has a house in Ilembula where his mother lives. He is also building a family house in Chalowe village. Otherwise he also has a house in Arusha where he has worked since 1986. He is married with three daughters, Leah (15), Rhoda (5) and Tulilumwi (1).

Danford W.S MPUMILWA							Profile
Danford W.S MPUMILWA							Please read profile in Kiswahili



Profile - Danford W. S. Mpumilwa
Danford William Samwel Mpumilwa was born on 31 October 1954 in Tukuyu, Mbeya region, where his father, the late William Samwel Mpumilwa was a teacher of a Lutheran Church primary school. His father, son of the late Samwel Mpumilwa, hails from Chalowe village in Mdandu ward. His mother is Rhoda Merere, daughter of the late Rev. Lutangilo Merere of Uhambule village, in Wanging’ombe ward. All the villages are in Njombe district, Iringa region. Danford Mpumilwa began school in 1961 at Madilu, later Wangama primary school, in Imalinyi ward. He attended his Class V to VII at Tandala Upper Boys Primary School from 1965 to 1967. From 1968 to 1973 he joined Mkwawa High School in Iringa town for his secondary and high school education. In 1974 he joined the National Service under – Operation Ukombozi. Later in the year he was among the lucky few boys who were selected to join the University of Dar es Salaam where he successfully attained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in 1977. He immediately, in the same year, joined the Government-owned Tanzania Standard Newspapers, publishers of the Daily News ND Sunday News as a journalist. He performed his journalistic duties diligently up to 1981 when he joined the Tanzania Tourist Corporation (TTC) as its Public Relations and Advertising Manager. He worked in this capacity, promoting the country’s tourist attractions and image, up to 1986 when he was appointed Director of Conferences and Marketing of the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC). His meticulous performance in his new duties saw him in 1996 getting a job with the United Nations as an Information and Public Affairs Officer with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) where he is still working to-date. Danford Mpumilwa also holds a Diploma in Journalism from the International Institute of Journalism, Berlin, Germany in 1990. Over and above that he has attained a Certificate in Management and Marketing from the Atlanta International Management Institute in Georgia, USA in 1993. He has, over the years, also attended several short courses and participated in many local and international conferences in several countries including USA, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Russia, Australia, Singapore, Senegal, Ethiopia, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mauritius and Zambia. Danford Mpumilwa has had a rich and varied experience in leadership and management as follows: In primary school he was appointed to the very sensitive and strategic position of Time Keeper. During his secondary school days he was elected Secretary General of the Association of Usanifu wa Kiswahili (UKI) in Iringa region. During the same time he was also very active member of the TANU Youth League and was Chairman of its Music and Cultural Troupe. In 1974 he joined the National Service at Buhemba Camp in Musoma and later at the Oljoro Camp in Arusha under the ‘Operation Ukombozi’ programme. At the University of Dar es Salaam, he was very active in sports activities and was Captain of the men’s field hockey team. Between 1979 and 1984 he was Secretary to the National Road Safety Committee. Between 1979 and 1981 he was a member of the National Arts Council (BASATA) and the National Kiswahili Council (BAKITA). From 1980 to 1986 he was President of the Dar es Salaam YMCA and Vice-President of the Tanzania National YMCA. In 1988 he founded and became Chairman of the Arusha Press Club (APC) after which in 1992 he was elected first President of the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs, a post he held until 1999. Between 1993 and 2003 he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Media Council of Tanzania and later, in the last four years, he was its Vice-President. He is a co-founder and Director of the weekly Arusha Times newspaper. Presently, he still holds several leadership positions in the community including being Patron of the Arusha Press Club; Chairman of the Njiro Development Association; member of the Board of Directors of Lemara Secondary School; and Chairman of the Arusha Wazee Sports Club. Danford is also the Chairman of the Association of residents from Njombe residing in Arusha (UNJOA) Danford Mpumilwa has been actively engaged in various development activities of TANU and later CCM. He has written extensively several analytical and enlightening articles in the Government-owned newspapers and other publications on the ruling party’s philosophy and development objectives from the time of Mwalimu Nyerere to the present day. In Arusha, he was an active member of the ‘CCM Ishinde’ campaign group during the 2005 national elections. He is a card carrying member of CCM. Mpumilwa has a house in Ilembula where his mother lives. He is also building a family house in Chalowe village. Otherwise he also has a house in Arusha where he has worked since 1986. He is married with three daughters, Leah (15), Rhoda (5) and Tulilumwi (1).