Francis Nyalali

Francis Lucas Nyalali
4th Chief Justice of Tanzania
In office 1977–2000
President	Julius Nyerere
Preceded by	Augustine Saidi
Succeeded by	Barnabas Samatta
Chairman of the Nyalali Commission
In office 1991–2002
Personal details
Born	(1935-02-03)3 February 1935 Kasubuya, Mwanza, Tanganyika Territory
Died	2 April 2003(2003-04-02) (aged 68) Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Occupation	Lawyer Judge

Francis Lucas Nyalali (3rd February, 1935 – 2nd April, 2003) was the Chief Justice of Tanzania from 1977 to 2000, making him the longest serving Chief Justice in the country's history. His tenure was notably longer than the average serving time for a Chief Justice within the Commonwealth of Nations, which is approximately 3.6 years. He was known for promoting easy access to justice, the rule of law, constitutionalism, and human rights.

In 1991, he chaired a presidential commission to review Tanzania's political system known as the 'Nyalali Commission'. The commission recommended, among other things, the reintroduction of multi-party politics in the country, and a review of the union structure between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.[1]