Sir George Stewart Symes, GBE, KCMG, DSO (29 July 1882 – 5 December 1962) was a British Army officer and colonial governor.

This led to him becoming unpopular with some of the white settlers in that country and in neighboring Kenya, and he was known as being one of the most "pro-African" colonial governors.

There were British District Commissioners who were administrators under previous governors, and during their time in Tanganyika had learned to speak the Tongwe and Bende languages before being rotated out, Symes had them recalled to Tanganyika and stationed in areas that spoke Tongwe and Bende.

He also devoted government resources towards water purification projects, literacy programs and the administration of antibiotics to natives.

On numerous issues he promoted encouraging the native population to vote on matters that affected them.