TANZANIA: TEC President appeals for Relief and Emergency Aid to Bukoba Earth Quake Victims
The President of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference (TEC) Rt Rev Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa has asked the Catholic Faithful and other people of good will to respond with relief aid to the victims of Earth Quake disaster that happened in Kagera region recently.
affected by the earthquake
The President who was speaking to the Press said TEC is very much concerned with the reports coming from Bukoba that point of the urgent need of relief and emergency aid.
“We are receiving reports that schools have been damaged, families left homeless, some dead, some wounded/injured physically and psychologically while some lost property, all these need our attention and response,” he said adding that “I am asking the faithful from all the Catholic Dioceses in the Country and people of good will to be compassionate by making some contributions as a relief to the victims.”
Meanwhile; a total of Tanzanian shillings, Tshs. 1.396 Billion (US $ 641,141) in cash and pledges and other humanitarian assistance have been received by the government from diplomatic corps, businessmen and women in an effort to help the victims of the catastrophe.
In another development MPs passed a resolution to contribute their day’s allowance to Kagera residents who have been affected. A total of Tshs. 85.5Million (US $ 3904) was expected to be collected from the Members of Parliament.
The government has also appealed to the general public, local and international organisations willing to complement the government’s effort to channel their contribution through the Prime Minister’s Office.
The tremor, never experienced in such magnitude in recent times, hit the Lake Victoria-side Kagera region last Saturday (10th September) leaving 17people dead and 253 injured. According to a geologist assessment, the tremor weighed 5.7 on the Richter scale.
By Sarah Pelaji, Kiongozi Newspaper, TEC
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