He received his primary education at Msoga Primary School between 1958 and 1961; his middle school education at Lugoba School from 1962 up to 1965. He then moved from Lugoba School to Kibaha Secondary School for O-level education between 1966 to 1969. The following year he joined Tanga Secondary School for advanced level education. Kikwete attended the University of Dar es Salaam from 1972-1978 where he earned a degree in Economics after which he joined the military.

• 1958-1961 - Msoga Primary School
• 1962-1965 - Lugoba Middle School
• 1966-1969 - Kibaha Secondary School
• 1970-1971 - Tanga Secondary School
• 1972-1975 - BA(Economics) University of Dar es Salaam
• 1976-1977 - Military Trainingi at Tanzania Military Academy at Monduli
• 1983-1984 - Military Leadership Training

In 1983 he attended a one-year Company Commander Course at the Monduli Military Officers College in Monduli, Arusha. Subsqently, he held several posts within the Tanzanian military as follows:

• 1972 - 1979 Lieutenant
• 1979 - 1984 Captain
• 1984 - 1986 Chief Political Instructor Tanzania People's Defense Force
• 1984 - 1991 Major
• 1991 - Current - Lieutenant colonel

Kikwete served as the foreign minister of Tanzania from 1995 when the government of President Benjamin Mkapa took office. Before that, he served in various posts as minister before he was officially nominated to be the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party's presidential candidate in the general elections, which were held on 14 December 2005. He won the election and was sworn in as president.

• 1975-1977 - Deputy Regional Secretary of Tanganyika Afrcan National Union (TANU)
• 1977-1980 - Deputy Secretary of CCM, Zanzibar
• 1980-1981 - Administrative officer CCM Headquarters
• 1981-1983 - CCM Regional Secretary Tabora
• 1983-1986 - Political Tutor at the Tanzania Military Academy in Monduli
• 1986-1988 - Nachingwea and Masasi Districts CCM Secretary General
• 1988 - 1990 Nominated Member of Parliament
• 1988 - 1990 Deputy Minster of Energy
• 1988 - 1990 Member of Parliament for Bagamoyo District
• 1990 - 1994 Minister of Water, Energy and Minerals
• 1994 - 1995 Minister of Finance
• 1990 - 2005 Elected Member of Parliament for Chalinze District
• 1995 - 2005 Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
• 2005 - Current - President of Tanzania (Sworn in on December 21 2005)

He is the only member of constituency in Bagamoyo district who represented a constituency for three consecutive terms. He began as an MP for Bagamoyo and later for Chalinze when the district was divided into two constituencies in 1995. Kikwete has managed to distance himself from allegations of corruption that have dogged other members of the various cabinets in which he has served. Kikwete won the Presidential Election by a landslide, receiving 80.3% of the vote.