Clerics: Poor-rich gap widening

By Devota Mwachang`a

 

Christian faithful attend morning Christmas Mass at St Joseph`s Cathedral in Dar es Salaam yesterday. (Photo: Khalfan Said)

Religious leaders yesterday called for more efforts in addressing the yawning gap between the country’s majority poor, the few rich and privileged leaders.

Presiding over the Christmas service yesterday, Bishop Damian Dallu of Geita Diocese said what is lacking in Tanzania today is cooperation between poor and rich, leaders and the led.

“Leaders have the responsibility to help in bringing back happiness to these people,” he said.Bishop Dallu said there will be peace and happiness among the people if the few greedy people are prevented from plundering the resources that the country has. Tanzanians, just like other people, regardless their differences, want to live in a country where love and happiness prevail.

He said celebrating Christmas means praying for one another as well as for the country’s peace, and asking God to guard the country from challenges such as religious conflicts.

“We need to find permanent happiness by forgiving and forgetting the past, especially the incidents that in one way or another may jeopardise our peace. To forgive and to forget the past will help us to live the holy words of God,” he said.

Bishop Dallu called upon Tanzanians to pray, work and learn because the country needed people who do not only fear God but who are also educated and skilled.

Meanwhile, in Dar es Salaam, the Head of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) Bishop Dr Alex Malasusa yesterday reminded Tanzanians and the world in general to live peaceful lives which reflected God’s words as the only way to avoid wrongful acts.

“Leaders and other people in the world are utilising many of their resources to regain the lost peace instead of educating people on how to maintain peace …this is making God unhappy,” Bishop Malasusa who was preaching during the Christmas mass at Azania Front church, said.

He said the public as well as individuals have the onus to guard the prevailing peace and use Christmas Day to forgive one another by exchanging gifts.

The Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, Titus Mdoe, said the burning of churches and killing of religious leaders has been caused by a group of people who lack love and do not have God in their lives.

Speaking during the Christmas Eve service in the city’s St Joseph Cathedral, the Auxiliary Bishop said political leaders who often complain that peace in Tanzania is being breached have to understand that real peace comes from God.

“The killing of religious leaders and chopping off albino’s body parts are against humanity and those who practise these evils cannot be regarded as real Christians. Such practices are also against the international laws that safeguard human rights,” he said.

Cathedral Chairman Paul Mzuka said Christians are supposed to pray for the church and nation particularly ‘after some hunting dogs invaded it, killed its leaders and burnt the houses of prayer. We need to unite in preserving our peace.”

For his part, Rev Audax who is also a servant at St Joseph Cathedral said the occurrence of such events proves that there are people who do not accept God and are not for peace and love.

“Cooperation, love and freedom to worship have to be respected in our country. The burning of churches and promoting conflicts undermine peace and development. Such evils should be eliminated. I call upon the government to take serious measures to contain these ugly events,” one of the followers, Dr Ndokoye said.

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN