Right Reverend Doctor Michael Henry Hafidh, HC (Metaphysics, LADC Institute, USA) is the last born of late Annette Chimwai. He was born 20 July 1960 in the small town of Miembeni in the municipality of Zanzibar. He married Mary, a nurse and they have been blessed with 3 children. He got his primary education at St. Paul’s School Kiungani between the year 1967 and 1971, then he was transferred to Tumekuja School to continue for primary education until 1973. Thereafter in the year 1976, he moved to Ben-Bella to complete secondary education. When he finished secondary education, straightaway he joined two years’ course of accountancy at Kiungani College, Dar es Salaam between 1978 and 1979. In 1981 he was employed by Breweries Company as a cashier in Dar es Salaam. He was promoted to be cashier and Assistant Manager of Breweries Morogoro Branch. He was transferred to Songea Branch but worked for a very short period and quit the job in the year 1987.
Michael Henry Hafidh received his call in 1988 to serve God. He joined St. Mark’s Theological College for 3 years of certificate course of theology and completed 1991. He was made deacon on the St. Bartholomew day of 1992, thereafter he was ordained priest on 24 June 1993 in the Christ Church Cathedral of Zanzibar. He ministered in many parishes of Tanga Region before he moved to Zanzibar in the year 2000 when Zanzibar separated from new Diocese of Tanga. Rev. Michael Hafidh served as priest parishes of both Unguja and Pemba. He went for another two years’ programme of Diploma of Theology between year 2010 and 2011 again in the St. Mark’s Theological College.
Right Reverend Doctor Michael Henry Hafidh, Honoris Causa
(Leadership and Counselling, LADC Institute, USA)Revd. Michael Hafidh was made Vicar General of the Anglican Diocese of Zanzibar in December 2010 during the period whence the diocese had no bishop, he ministered as Vicar General for three years. Rev. Michael Hafidh was elected bishop in the Special Synod of January 2012, and was consecrated bishop by the Archbishop of Tanzania on the 15th April 2012 in the Christ Church Cathedral Zanzibar. He becomes the tenth bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Zanzibar.
Bishop Michael Hafidh is a peace activist in Zanzibar and Tanzania as a whole who has participated in many forums of peace discussions. He has also given number of speeches both in church pulpits and in the public about peace building and country’s tranquillity. He also frequently gives speeches against violence and sexual assaults of children and women in Zanzibar. Bishop Michael Hafidh is the Vice Chairman of the Peace Joint Committee of religious leaders in Zanzibar. Following his efforts in peacebuilding, the Outreach Care awarded Bishop Michael Henry Hafidh the Award of Excellence on March 2019 to honour and recognises his unmatched contribution towards capacity development on doctrine, peace, revelation and visionary leadership worldwide.
Bishop Michael Hafidh was also awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree of Leadership and Counselling by the Los Angeles Development Church and Institute on October 26, 2019 in recognition of his life experiences in the community.
He was made bishop on April 2012.