Freeman Mbowe

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Freeman Aikaeli Mbowe (born 14 September 1961) is a Tanzanian politician and chairman of Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA – Party for Democracy and Development). Mbowe is a member of the Chaga ethnic group.

Mbowe was elected to the National Assembly in 2000 representing Hai Constituency (Kilimanjaro Region). He won 64.5% of the vote, which was the highest percentage of votes won among constituencies with opposition MP's.

In preparation for the 2005 elections, Mbowe was nominated as CHADEMA's presidential candidate. Jumbe Rajab Jumbe, a Zanzibari was chosen as his vice-presidential candidate. The election was originally scheduled for 30 October 2005, but was postponed until 14 December due to the death of Jumbe.

Mbowe criticized the lengthy postponement, saying a week's delay would have sufficed and that his party cannot afford to finance extra campaigning. Chadema eventually settled on Anna Komu to be the running mate.

He placed third out of ten candidates in the 14 December 2005 presidential election, winning 5.88% of the vote.

Mbowe is the owner of Club Bilicanas, one of the best nightclubs in Dar es Salaam. He is also the owner of Tanzania Daima, a national daily newspaper, as well as Protea Hotel Aishi Machame, a hotel in his native town of Machame, in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania.

Mbowe is married to Lillian Mtei (daughter of Edwin Mtei, the first Governor of Bank of Tanzania). They were married on 17 August 1991. The two live happily with their children in Mikocheni A, a suburb of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Mbowe has three children: Dudley A. Mbowe (15), Nicole A. Mbowe (11) and Dennis E. Mbowe (8). All their children go the Dar es Salaam Independent School (D.I.S.), also in Mikocheni.