Catholic Bishops’ statement opposing port deal with Dubai read in churches

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

The Tanzania Episcopal Conference’s (TEC) statement regardingtheir stand on the port deal between Tanzania and DP World which was issued on Friday Saturday, has today Sunday August 20 been read in various churches across the country.

Some of the Roman Catholic churches that read the declaration today Sunday August 20, 2023 are Christ the King (Tabata), Saint Joseph (Posta) and Saint Peter (Oysterbay) all in Dar es Salaam.

Reports from various regions and districts show that most churches got opportunity to read the statement to their congregations. 

After the first mass Father Kashinje from Tabata Segerea Parish said the statement would be erad at all services in the country.

The declaration that was read had a theme, 'the voice of the people, the voice of God' before the believers urging the Government to listen to the opinions of the people regarding the investment process of the port, claiming that the majority of Tanzanians and the council, do not agree with the terms under which the Port of Dar es Salaam is set to be awarded the investor.

"The bishops have referred to several chapters of the Constitution, article eight, which explains that the power of the country lies with the people, if they do not want it no matter how good it might be,  the bishops have said for unity and peace, it is better for the people to be heard," said Father Kashinje.

Speaking to our reporter, Alex Kavishe, a member of the Church of Christ the King in Tabata Mengeneni, said the government should listen to the opinions expressed by citizens in the presence of God's servants.

On Friday, the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) issued a statement saying they didn’t support the deployment of a single investor at the Dar es Salaam port, but rather multiple investors, mostly sourced domestically.

The clergymen said they believe there are Tanzanians with the ability to invest in developing the port.

In a statement released Friday, TEC said they were driven by a conscience aimed at protecting national resources, solidarity, and national unity.

This comes barely a week after the High Court ruled that the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Tanzania and the Emirate of Dubai did not violate any constitutional provisions.

In the ruling, which also offers petitioners the room for appeal, the three-judge bench solidly ruled that the petition by four Tanzanians held no merit and that, in any case, it was the Parliament, not the court of law, that had the constitutional mandate to annul any IGA entered into by the government and a third party.