Rostam Aziz
| Rostam Aziz | |
|---|---|
| رستم عزیز | |
 | |
| Former Member of the Tanzanian Parliament (MP) representing Igunga Constituency | |
|
In office 1994 – 13 July 2011 | |
| Succeeded by | Dalaly Kafumu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21st August 1964 |
| Nationality | Tanzanian |
| Political party | Chama Cha Mapinduzi CCM |
| Residence | Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Net worth | $1 billion (July 2015)[1] |
| Ethnicity | Persian |
Rostam Abdulrasul Aziz is a Tanzanian politician, businessman/entrepreneur and economist. According to Forbes magazine, he was reportedly the first Tanzanian dollar billionaire in 2013 with an estimated net worth of US$1 billion.[2]
He represented the Igunga constituency in Tabora Region from 1994 until his resignation in 2011.[3] He was the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) National Treasurer from 2005-2007 and member of the Politburo/Central Committee of CCM from 2006 to 2011. Some of the key as an MP he pioneered community health insurance in East Africa and every household in his constituency was provided with health insurance from the Community Health Fund.[4]He also achieved access to water for every resident in his constituency and Igunga Constituency became the first district to have a dispensary in every village and electircity in every ward.
According to Forbes magazine[5] Rostam Aziz of Tanzania owns nearly 18% of Vodacom Tanzania, the country's largest mobile phone company, with 15 million subscribers.[6] Rostam, via Cavalry Holdings, previously owned 35% of the company, but, in May 2014 he sold 17.2% of Vodacom Tanzania to Vodacom Group of South Africa for an estimated $250 million.[7]
He also owns Caspian mining, a contract mining firm in Tanzania, and real estate in Dubai and Oman. Aziz got his start in his family's trading business and then branched out on his own.
Background
The Aziz’s are a fifth generation Tanzanian family of Iranian ancestry. [8] They settled in Tanganika after transiting in Zanzibar, circa 1850. The family initially began farming sisal, rice and sugar cane.
Overview
The Aziz family is one of the wealthiest families in East Africa. Their investments range from telecommunications, agriculture, media, mining, and ports facilities.
The Aziz Group holdings include:
- Shareholding in Vodacom Tanzania, the leading mobile telephone network in the country, a subsidiary of Vodafone.[9]
- Caspian Limited, the largest contract mining company in Tanzania. Mining contractor to DeBeers, Barrick Gold and others.[10]
- Ownership of the port of Dar es Salaam, in partnership with Hutchison Wampoa
- Wembere Hunting Safaris Limited
- Africa Tanneries Limited
- Tanzania Leather Industries Limited
- Various newspapers, radio and television stations
See also
References
- ↑ "#1741 Rostam Azizi". Forbes. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- ↑ "50 RICHEST PEOPLE IN AFRICA #26Rostam Azizi". Forbes. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
Rostam Azizi, Tanzania's first billionaire.
- ↑ Guardian, Reporter (13 July 2011). "Rostam Resigns As MP, NEC Member". IPP Media (Dar es Salaam). Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ↑ Mande, Mike (17 July 2011). "Tanzania's opposition welcomes Rostam Aziz's quitting". The EastAfrican. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ↑ "Rostam Azizi". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- ↑ "Vodacom Group Wraps Up Stake Acquisition From Rostam Aziz". WealthX. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
- ↑ Nsehe, Mfonobong. "Tanzania's Richest Man Concludes Sale Of Vodacom Stake". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- ↑ David Lawrence (October 2009). Tanzania: The Land, Its People and Contemporary Life. Intercontinental Books. pp. 26–. ISBN 978-9987-9308-3-8.
- ↑ The Citizen, Reporter (28 November 2013). "Rostam Offloads Vodacom Equity for A Cool TSh387 Billion (US$242 Million)". The Citizen. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ↑ Masare, Alawi. "Rostam, Dewji, Mengi in 50 richest Africans list". The Citizen.