Ashatu Kijaji

Dr. Kijaji was born on April 26, 1976. She completed her schooling from the Shycom Secondary School in 1997. In 2001, she received her Advanced Diploma from the then Institute of Development Management-Mzumbe (now Mzumbe University). She then worked as a Planning Officer for the Kisarawe District Council and then as a Lecturer at her alma mater Mzumbe University. She later became the Director of Mzumbe University's Institute of Development Studies. While still a lecturer, she completed her master's degree in 2008 and PhD in 2013, both from the Norwegian University of Agder.[1][2]

Dr. Kijaji became involved with the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party in 2004.[1] She first became a Member of Parliament after she won as the ruling CCM party's candidate for Kondoa in the 2015 Tanzanian general election. She faced Yasin Shabani of the Civic United Front and two other minor candidates. She won receiving 37,795 votes to Shabani's 23,570.[3]

Dr. Kijaji was appointed Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Planning in the newly elected President John Magufuli's administration in December 2015.[4] As part of this role, she in involved in the drafting of the second Five Year Development Plan, which she presented to Parliament in February 2016. The plan seeks to encouraging industrialization to drive economic growth and social development.[5]

• Profile at Parliament of Tanzania.