Haji Chilonga discovered his artistic talent soon after joining primary school and later started working on portraits and sign writing.

Haji Chilonga started painting still life, abstract on canvas and sculpting since 1992 and remains his focus to date. Haji was born in 1969 at Masasi District in Mtwara Region which is located southern parts of Tanzania, he comes from the family tree of blacksmiths and potters. He discovered that has an art talent soon after he joined his primary school education. During his school attendance he was assigned as school painter to prepare all artworks that the school needed.

After primary school, Chilonga decided to move from the village to the capital city, Dar es Salaam, where his uncle was living. He knew that was the only opportunity to expose himself into art. During that time, (mid 80s), Chilonga was working on portraits and sign writing until when he decided to move because his dream was to become an international artist. So he focused on painting still life, abstract on canvas and sculpting, from 1992 up to date. He knew art skills was important, so he has been participating in many local and international fine art workshops to insure that he increases his knowledge in art skills. When it comes to Chilonga’s artworks, mostly it appears on figurative and depicting on real life situation that people are facing every day. He uses paintings as part of expressing his feeling, educating and entertaining the society which makes him a very well-known artist in his country and beyond the borders.

Chilonga has participated in short painting course in Salzburg, International Summer Academy, Austria 2007 and 2014. He was the Third winner of the art Competition ‘A Hundred and Fifty Years of Italian Unification’ 2011 by the Italian Embassy, Tanzania, Top ten (Art Against AIDS) MACMILLAN in South Africa 2002

He has managed to exhibits his artworks solo and in group exhibitions in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Rwanda, Zambia, Switzerland, Germany, UK, Austria, USA and Canada.