Ummy Mwalimu

Ummy Ally Mwalimu (born 5 September 1973) is a Tanzanian politician belonging to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. She is currently a member of Parliament for Tanga Constituency and most recently served as the minister of health until August 2024, when she was succeeded by Jenista Mhagama. She has held various cabinet positions since 2010. She is a third-term member of Parliament, firstly appointed to a seat reserved for women in the parliament of Tanzania in 2010.

Background and education Ummy Mwalimu was born on September 5, 1973, in Tanga. She completed her schooling from the Korogwe Girls Secondary School in 1993. in 1998, she received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Dar es Salaam. She received her Master of Laws degree from the University of Pretoria in 2001.

Between 2000 and 2010, she worked in various governmental and NGO agencies in legal, research and governance roles.

Political career Mwalimu first became involved with the CCM in 2007. She is a two-term member of Parliament as a member of CCM. In 2010 and again in 2015, she was appointed to a seat reserved for women by the president.

As health minister, she banned the importation and sale of sexual lubricants in Tanzania, stating this would curb homosexuality, which is criminalized in Tanzania. This stance has been condemned by NGOs and goes against UNAIDS recommendation that providing water-based lubricants along with condoms can help curb the spread of HIV.

Mwalimu has stated her support for ending underage marriage, and assured activists she would table a bill in Parliament amending the laws that allow persons under the age of 18 to get married. Once the law is passed, this practice will be illegal.

In December 2020 she was appointed by President Magufuli as the minister of state in the Vice President's Office (Union and Environment). In March 2021, she was appointed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to be the minister of state in the President's Office Regional Administration and Local Government - OR - TAMISEMI. Following the second cabinet reshuffle in January 2022, she returned to her previous cabinet position as minister of Health, Seniors and Children.