Following a spate of burning of churches in Zanzibar, the Zanzibar Diocese of the Catholic Church announced that it would punish a local clergyman following his statement that Catholics were praying for CCM to win the general elections as an opposition victory would spell the end of churches in Zanzibar… A spokesman said that the church was not aligned with any political party…. but since it was an institution that upheld good conduct, it had every right to speak out against evil deeds such as the burning of churches. Zanzibar Archbishop Shao said that Catholics had been harassed and church leaders accused of bringing into Zanzibar ‘mercenaries’ since the introduction of political pluralism in the isles. “I’m not bringing in voters from the Mainland nor am I being paid by the Zanzibar government” he said. CUF hailed the Church’s decision to reprimand the priest.
Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi has donated TSh 25m/- towards the development of the Islamic University which was established by the Islamic Development Institute of Tanzania in Morogoro last year. President Mkapa had earlier donated TSh 10m/- towards the establishment of the university – Guardian.
Last September bishops of seven dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania called on the Church’s Secretary-General, Amani Mwenegoha, to resign, accusing him of usurping powers and causing divisions in the church. They were alleged to have involved the Church in a case he filed against former Prime Minister, Cleopa Msuya.