| Jenista Mhagama | |
| Office: | Ministers of State in the President’s Office |
| Term Start: | 10 January 2022 |
| Predecessor: | Ummy Mwalimu |
| Office1: | Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office |
| Term Start1: | 12 December 2015 |
| Term End1: | 10 January 2022 |
| Term Start2: | 20 January 2014 |
| Term End2: | 5 November 2015 |
| Office3: | Member of Parliament for Peramiho |
| Term Start3: | December 2005 |
| Birth Date: | 23 June 1967 |
| Nationality: | Tanzanian |
| Profession: | Teacher |
| Military Blank1: | Military camp |
| Military Data1: | Mlale |
| Military Blank2: | Duration |
| Military Data2: | 2 years |
Jenista Joakim Mhagama (born 23 June 1967) is a Tanzanian politician belonging to the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party. She is a Member of Parliament for Peramiho constituency. In December 2015, she was appointed as a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office responsible for Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the Disabled in President John Magufuli's administration. In January 2022, she was moved to the President’s Office Good Governance and Public Services.[1]
Mhagama was born on June 23, 1967. She completed her schooling from Peramiho Girls' Secondary School in 1986. In 1989, she received her Diploma in Education from the Korogwe Teachers Training College. She worked as a teacher for six years between 1991 and 1997.[2]
Mhagama first became involved with CCM in 1987 and served in a variety of roles including in the youth and women wings of the party. She was first appointed to the Parliament from a special seat reserved for women in 2000.[2]
In 2005, she defeated former Finance Minister Simon Mbilinyi in a primary for the right to represent CCM in the upcoming elections for Peramiho constituency.[3] An analysis found that Mhagama was the second most active MP in the 2005-2010 Parliament in terms of contributions to debates and questions to ministers.[4]
Mhagama was the Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training in President Jakaya Kikwete's administration between January 2014 and January 2015. Then in a cabinet reshuffle, she was promoted and named Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Policy, coordination and parliamentary affairs).[5]
In the 2015 general elections, Mhagama won her Peramiho seat against CHADEMA candidate Erasmo Mwingira by a vote margin of 32,057 votes to 11,462.[6] In the new President John Magufuli's cabinet, she was appointed a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Employment, Youth and People with Physical Disabilities).[7] In January 2022, she was moved to the President’s Office Good Governance and Public Services.