TANZANIA: Religious Leaders Demand an Investigation on Vandalism Incident at Geita Diocese Cathedral
Sarah Pelaji
Police in Tanzania are investigating an incident in which an alleged man broke into the Cathedral of Geita Catholic Diocese, destroyed the tabernacle, and desecrated the Blessed Sacrament.
The incident happened on Sunday, February 26, at around 2 o’clock in the afternoon based on when the guard informed Fr Charles Kato one of the resident priests, requesting him to visit the Cathedral immediately since there was unknown person in the church running from side to side of the altar and sacristy, breaking and destroying the sacramentals.
Following the incident, the Local Ordinary of the Diocese Bishop Flavian Matindi Kassala has issued a decree to temporarily close the Cathedral until it is sanctified again following Canon 1211 and 1212.
Bishop Kassala has requested all Catholics in the entire diocese to offer special prayers upon the incident while asking God’s mercy.
Following the incident, the regional Justice and Peace Committee from Mwanza and Geita The regional Justice and Peace Committees, formed in 2012 to bring together religious leaders from different religions including the Catholic Church (TEC), Pentecostal Churches (CPCT), Christian Churches (CCT), Muslims and Seventh-day Adventists visited the Cathedral and affirmed that the action is evil and unacceptable.
The Co-Chairman of the Justice and Peace Committee who is the chief Sheikh of Mwanza Region, Hassan Kabeke, said that their visit is to console the bishop, priests and all Catholics of Geita Diocese.
“This event has saddened us all, leaving us with the question why has he blasphemed the house of God. This is offensive, it hurts that people no longer respect God,” Sheikh Kabeke said and called on the Government, the defense and security agencies to investigate the matter more deeply and seriously to the root of the matter.
He further called Tanzanians from all religions and all ethnic groups to stand together to condemn such incidents.
“An act like this is very bad in society, if you look at it partially you can see it to be a normal incident, but if you reason beyond, it is an act that brings thoughts of betrayal, infringes the freedom of worship and breaks the peace of Tanzanians,” he warned.
Sheikh Kabeke acknowledged the efforts already taken by the Police Force to arrest the accused but insisted the government should ensure an intensive investigation is made since initial information that was given is not enough as the society has many questions.
Other religious leaders in the Committee who visited the Cathedral are Bishop Richard Bundala of the Tabernacle Gospel Church (TGC), Sheikh Twaha Bakari the Coordinator of the Justice and Peace Committee Mwanza Region, together with Pastor John Marco of AIC Geita.
The diocese has formed a committee to oversee the renovation towards the damaged estimated at a cost of Tanzania Shillings (Tsh) M.48, 286,000/=. However the cost for repairing the normal depreciation needs Tsh. 21 Million to make the total approximate of TSh. 70 Million (Us $30,000).
The Chairman of the Committee, Fr. Gerald Singu has requested different Institutes and people of good will to support and donate funds to restore the Cathedral.
