Issuing an appeal against frequent abuse of power abuse, a number of them similarly asked the Union and Zanzibar governments to reduce fuel levies to cushion the society from the impact of sharp increase in the of goods countrywide.
In a strongly worded Easter Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral, Bishop Augustine Shao of Roman Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar called upon the two governments to work harder on skyrocketing food prices for the well-being of the majority of Tanzanians.
Bishop Shao raised concern over the high fuel prices saying it had led to skyrocketing prices of goods and many people had even failed to join family members to celebrate Easter.
Apart from concerns on fuel, the bishop raised concern over the escalating rate of human trafficking in Zanzibar saying it was sad to note that the island was at the center of such activities.
“Human trafficking is so rampant in the island and sends us back to slavery. The island has become a center where people sell others to other areas. I call upon those in charge of marine transport, traffic police, immigration and the airport to increase their efforts to address the situation as it falls within their area of operations,” the cleric stated.
He similarly called upon Tanzanians to abandon the culture of silence on instance of sexual abuse, in that people turn away whenever children are sexually abused by family members. Society should speak up against all evil acts instead of turning a blind eye. We need to protect children instead of protecting perpetrators of sexual abuse,” he declared.
Bishop Dr Fredrick Shoo, the head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) said that a large chunk of development funds is going in into people’s pockets.
In his Easter message at the Moshi central parish church for the ELCT Northern Diocese, Rev. Dr Shoo urged those who plunder public resources to stop doing so and direct their attention to the country’s socio-economic development.
“What will these trillions and billions of shillings you collect be going to do for you? Let’s look at the prosperity of our country and the common man.
“Let us not be arrogant. Do not consider yourself superior to your peers no matter what position you hold, no matter what position you have. Stop being arrogant, stop being arrogant, stop being arrogant, that’s all,” he said.
Citing Philippians 2:3-6, Dr Shoo said: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than you. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.”
He further asked everyone to consider each other as better than themselves and not everyone to look after their own interests, but everyone should look out for the interests of others.
During the Easter mass at the Mabatini parish of the Catholic Church in Mwanza city, Padre John Ebo asked Tanzanians to live a life of love, hope and always light candles in their hearts while also praying for those suffering from the ravages of war, near and far.
Archbishop Isaac Amani of the Arusha Catholic archdiocese warned those who own huts and secluded halls displaying sexual videos to children and youths to stop such business as it affect the group’s ethics and social attitudes.
In his sermon, Archbishop Amani said there has been a wave of children and teenagers being given pocket money by parents and go into those booths to watch pornography, arousing emotions that lead to having sex at premature ages.
“These videos bring negative impacts to young girls and boys, as after watching they are pushed by their emotions to avail themselves to calm down the urge,” he said, lamenting that this leads to diseases and damage of ethics.
He wondered why those illegal halls aren’t being closed, plus the whereabouts of the parents and if they know of the video business going on.
Bishop of ELCT-Iringa Diocese, Blaston Gavile wanted Tanzanians to continue praying for the nation so as to prevent it from falling into conflicts, saying that conflicts in faraway countries were enough reason for Tanzanians to thank God for the peace and stability.
What is important is for church followers to ask God to strengthen peace and stability so that Tanzanians do not just complain or support those who want bad things in the country but people who fast and pray for peace and stability of the country.
Bishop Dr. Dickson Chilongani of the Anglican Church Diocese of Central Tanganyika called on elected officials to assist President Samia Suluhu Hassan to serve Tanzanians, and evaluate themselves in their daily performance.
Addressing the Easter service held at Christ the King’s Church in Dodoma, the bishop said President Samia had shown her sincere commitment to serve vulnerable Tanzanians but leaders she has appointed to help her fail to do their jobs properly.
“Despite the efforts of President Samia her executives still fail to serve the people properly. We have seen instances of corruption, embezzlement, negligence in the workplace, declining work discipline so as a nation we must evaluate ourselves by removing barriers to achieving the success we expect,” he declared.
Bishop Amon Mwenda of the ELCT Ruvuma Diocese urged Tanzanians to help President Samia in leading the nation by maintaining peace and tranquility, rejecting people with malicious intent from disrupting the peace given to us by God.
In his Easter mass at the Songea main parish church Bishop Mwenda said te current peace was given freely, so we shouldn’t play with it, cautioning that with globalization people had stopped reading the Bible regularly.
They scan it from smartphones by some unlikely chance, he said, noting that often the versions placed on smartphones have been doctored, he added.
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