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- Nov 15, 2011
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By The Citizen Reporters
Dar es Salaam. As Christians in Tanzania yesterday joined their brethren across the world to celebrate Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, church leaders have used the day to denounce political violence, corruption and bad governance practices.
The clerics, who made the calls during Easter Mass sermons at various churches in the country, called for authorities and the public to address lack of integrity among government officials, which has been undermining the government's performance.
The Head of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT), Bishop Alex Malasusa, condemned politicians who have been spreading divisive politics, threatening the country's peace and stability.
Presiding over the Easter Service at Azania Front Cathedral in Dar es Salaam, Bishop Malasusa said the situation is worsening as even those who were not engaged in political violence have now joined the bandwagon.
"We have reached a point where we think we can't conduct our politics without violence or insulting one another…we have seen dirty politics in the recent concluded parliamentary by-election in Arumeru East," said Bishop Malasusa.
For his part, the Christian Council of Tanzania secretary general, Dr Leonard Mtaita, spoke bitterly against government officials who embezzle public funds.
Dr Mtaita said many of public officials, especially leaders, have been embezzling public funds and got away without being punished due to lack of proper mechanism to deal with them.
Dr Mtaita said the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) should be tasked with reclaiming public property stolen by government officials and prosecutes those involved.
"Misuse of public properties has become a bigger problem than even corruption. I urge the government to take stern measures against the culprits and ensure that the problem is addressed," he said during the Easter Mass sermon in Morogoro.
He also called for Tanzanians to turn out in big numbers to express their views on how they want the new Constitution to be. "It is important for everyone to get involved as the new Constitution is about Tanzania's future," he said.
Dar es Salaam auxiliary Bishop Eusebius Nzigirwa called for the government to abolish the death penalty as it was against religious beliefs. Bishop Nzigirwa urged the public to put pressure on the government to abolish capital punishment.
"Christ has resurrected to save us, we should use this to defeat death and it should also be a symbol for our triumph against the death penalty," he said. The Morogoro Anglican Diocese Bishop Godfrey Sehaba urged Tanzanians to stop dreaming of becoming rich at the blink of an eye by using superstitious beliefs. Bishop Sehaba said instead, people should work hard by becoming enterprising.
He said the tendency by some people to use superstition to become rich has led to the spate of albino killings.
'' Witchdoctors have been deceiving people that they can make them rich by using limbs of human beings…but I want to assure you that the only way for someone to become rich is by working hard," Bishop Sehaba said, adding that most of Tanzanians are not succeeding because they haven't been trying in fear of failure.
In Arusha, church leaders lashed out at corrupt public officials, urging the government to firmly deal with the culprits. Speaking during Easter congregations, they described corruption as a major obstacle towards development that has denied the ordinary citizens of their basic rights.
Bishop Thomas Laizer of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) said despite anti-graft efforts by the government in recent years, the malpractice continues to be a menace to the society.
He said the ordinary people have been the victim of corrupt practices by some dishonest public officials through denial of their basic rights such as access to essential services like healthcare in public hospitals.
He added that it was because of corruption that some parents failed to enrol their children in public schools and other people denied their rights before the courts or law enforcement agencies such as the police.
"Some public officials are selfish and they do not care about the welfare of others," Bishop Laizer said.
He said the recent by-election in Arumeru East constituency was an indication on the gravity of corruption and wondered how effective the state organs in containing graft in such situations are.
"We have learnt some lessons from the Arumeru East by-election. Corruption reigned in the open yet the PCCB and the Intelligence Department were there," he stated.
He called for alternative ways to fight graft because of the apparent failure of some state organs to act decisively to arrest the situation while election-related corruption was still on the rise.
Bishop Laizer, who is the head of the North-Central Diocese of the Lutheran Church, said the church was disturbed by the defamatory remarks and abusive language used by politicians during campaigns.
He challenged those who diving the people along gender lines to stop, saying pastoralist communities have traditionally accommodated women as leaders and not otherwise as propagated by some politicians. On the political crisis in Arusha, the church leader urged the residents to respect the verdict of the High Court that annull the election of Mr Godbless Lema (Chadema) as Arusha Urban MP.
"The ruling was made by the High Court and not President Jakaya Kikwete or January Makamba," he said, stressing that people should stop linking court decisions with the national leadership.
Reported Frank Kimboy in Dar es Salaam, Filbert Rweyemamu in Arusha, Lillian Lucas and Venance George in Morogoro, Godfrey Kahango in Mbeya and Israel Mgussi in Dodoma
Archbishop Josephat Lebulu of the Catholic Church, for his part, said the church leaders would not keep quiet against acts of inhumanity committed by those in power, especially excessive use of force by the law enforcement organs.
He also criticised leaders amassing wealth at the expense of the poor who needs support to make their lives better.
Speaking at the Easter Mass, the Arusha District Commissioner, Mr Raymond Mushi, admitted that some public officials do not ethically and judiciously perform their responsibilities. However, he said the government was committed to reverse the trend.
Bishop Telesphol Mkude of the Morogoro Roman Catholic Church Diocese appealed to women to be at the frontline in grooming families.
Speaking at St Patrick Cathedral, Bishop Mkude said women could play major role in grooming God-fearing families.
In Mbeya, the Roman Catholic Bishop Evarist Chengula appealed to leaders to desist from corrupt practices and serve the people.
He said there have been complaints by people that government leaders were bent on corrupt practices instead of serving people.
He gave as an example of public hospitals where patients were not attended to if they did not bribe medical personnel.
In Dodoma, Bishop Godfrey Mhogolo of the Anglican Church Central Diocese lashed out at politicians who engaged in using abusive language during public rallies.
Bishop Mhogolo said such politicians should instead tell the people about policies aimed at extricating them from the prevailing economic quagmire.
He said politicians who engaged in abusive language were doing a disservice to the people who voted them in power.
Reported Frank Kimboy in Dar es Salaam, Filbert Rweyemamu in Arusha, Lillian Lucas and Venance George in Morogoro, Godfrey Kahango in Mbeya and Israel Mgussi in Dodoma.
Source http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/compone...eplore-political-violence-and-corruption.html
Dar es Salaam. As Christians in Tanzania yesterday joined their brethren across the world to celebrate Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, church leaders have used the day to denounce political violence, corruption and bad governance practices.
The clerics, who made the calls during Easter Mass sermons at various churches in the country, called for authorities and the public to address lack of integrity among government officials, which has been undermining the government's performance.
The Head of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT), Bishop Alex Malasusa, condemned politicians who have been spreading divisive politics, threatening the country's peace and stability.
Presiding over the Easter Service at Azania Front Cathedral in Dar es Salaam, Bishop Malasusa said the situation is worsening as even those who were not engaged in political violence have now joined the bandwagon.
"We have reached a point where we think we can't conduct our politics without violence or insulting one another…we have seen dirty politics in the recent concluded parliamentary by-election in Arumeru East," said Bishop Malasusa.
For his part, the Christian Council of Tanzania secretary general, Dr Leonard Mtaita, spoke bitterly against government officials who embezzle public funds.
Dr Mtaita said many of public officials, especially leaders, have been embezzling public funds and got away without being punished due to lack of proper mechanism to deal with them.
Dr Mtaita said the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) should be tasked with reclaiming public property stolen by government officials and prosecutes those involved.
"Misuse of public properties has become a bigger problem than even corruption. I urge the government to take stern measures against the culprits and ensure that the problem is addressed," he said during the Easter Mass sermon in Morogoro.
He also called for Tanzanians to turn out in big numbers to express their views on how they want the new Constitution to be. "It is important for everyone to get involved as the new Constitution is about Tanzania's future," he said.
Dar es Salaam auxiliary Bishop Eusebius Nzigirwa called for the government to abolish the death penalty as it was against religious beliefs. Bishop Nzigirwa urged the public to put pressure on the government to abolish capital punishment.
"Christ has resurrected to save us, we should use this to defeat death and it should also be a symbol for our triumph against the death penalty," he said. The Morogoro Anglican Diocese Bishop Godfrey Sehaba urged Tanzanians to stop dreaming of becoming rich at the blink of an eye by using superstitious beliefs. Bishop Sehaba said instead, people should work hard by becoming enterprising.
He said the tendency by some people to use superstition to become rich has led to the spate of albino killings.
'' Witchdoctors have been deceiving people that they can make them rich by using limbs of human beings…but I want to assure you that the only way for someone to become rich is by working hard," Bishop Sehaba said, adding that most of Tanzanians are not succeeding because they haven't been trying in fear of failure.
In Arusha, church leaders lashed out at corrupt public officials, urging the government to firmly deal with the culprits. Speaking during Easter congregations, they described corruption as a major obstacle towards development that has denied the ordinary citizens of their basic rights.
Bishop Thomas Laizer of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) said despite anti-graft efforts by the government in recent years, the malpractice continues to be a menace to the society.
He said the ordinary people have been the victim of corrupt practices by some dishonest public officials through denial of their basic rights such as access to essential services like healthcare in public hospitals.
He added that it was because of corruption that some parents failed to enrol their children in public schools and other people denied their rights before the courts or law enforcement agencies such as the police.
"Some public officials are selfish and they do not care about the welfare of others," Bishop Laizer said.
He said the recent by-election in Arumeru East constituency was an indication on the gravity of corruption and wondered how effective the state organs in containing graft in such situations are.
"We have learnt some lessons from the Arumeru East by-election. Corruption reigned in the open yet the PCCB and the Intelligence Department were there," he stated.
He called for alternative ways to fight graft because of the apparent failure of some state organs to act decisively to arrest the situation while election-related corruption was still on the rise.
Bishop Laizer, who is the head of the North-Central Diocese of the Lutheran Church, said the church was disturbed by the defamatory remarks and abusive language used by politicians during campaigns.
He challenged those who diving the people along gender lines to stop, saying pastoralist communities have traditionally accommodated women as leaders and not otherwise as propagated by some politicians. On the political crisis in Arusha, the church leader urged the residents to respect the verdict of the High Court that annull the election of Mr Godbless Lema (Chadema) as Arusha Urban MP.
"The ruling was made by the High Court and not President Jakaya Kikwete or January Makamba," he said, stressing that people should stop linking court decisions with the national leadership.
Reported Frank Kimboy in Dar es Salaam, Filbert Rweyemamu in Arusha, Lillian Lucas and Venance George in Morogoro, Godfrey Kahango in Mbeya and Israel Mgussi in Dodoma
Archbishop Josephat Lebulu of the Catholic Church, for his part, said the church leaders would not keep quiet against acts of inhumanity committed by those in power, especially excessive use of force by the law enforcement organs.
He also criticised leaders amassing wealth at the expense of the poor who needs support to make their lives better.
Speaking at the Easter Mass, the Arusha District Commissioner, Mr Raymond Mushi, admitted that some public officials do not ethically and judiciously perform their responsibilities. However, he said the government was committed to reverse the trend.
Bishop Telesphol Mkude of the Morogoro Roman Catholic Church Diocese appealed to women to be at the frontline in grooming families.
Speaking at St Patrick Cathedral, Bishop Mkude said women could play major role in grooming God-fearing families.
In Mbeya, the Roman Catholic Bishop Evarist Chengula appealed to leaders to desist from corrupt practices and serve the people.
He said there have been complaints by people that government leaders were bent on corrupt practices instead of serving people.
He gave as an example of public hospitals where patients were not attended to if they did not bribe medical personnel.
In Dodoma, Bishop Godfrey Mhogolo of the Anglican Church Central Diocese lashed out at politicians who engaged in using abusive language during public rallies.
Bishop Mhogolo said such politicians should instead tell the people about policies aimed at extricating them from the prevailing economic quagmire.
He said politicians who engaged in abusive language were doing a disservice to the people who voted them in power.
Reported Frank Kimboy in Dar es Salaam, Filbert Rweyemamu in Arusha, Lillian Lucas and Venance George in Morogoro, Godfrey Kahango in Mbeya and Israel Mgussi in Dodoma.
Source http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/compone...eplore-political-violence-and-corruption.html
