Tanzania Catholic Church calls for release of jailed opposition leaders and electoral systems reform

LINDI, Tanzania 

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Tanzania (TEC) has called on the government to unconditionally release political leaders arrested for demanding justice, stressing that the move is important in safeguarding national peace, especially in the run-up to the election year.

TEC President and Bishop of the Lindi Catholic Diocese, Wolfgang Pisa, has said that true peace cannot be achieved through force but through reconciliation and justice.

Presiding over the Easter mass early today, the Prilate stressed that it is the responsibility of every Tanzanian to safeguard the peace of the country by ensuring that electoral systems are reformed to provide space for the availability of fair and genuine leaders. 

TEC's statement comes at a time when the debate on changes to the electoral system and the participation of political parties has been dominating the political atmosphere in the country.

With complaints from some opposition parties such as the Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo party (CHADEMA) regarding the arrest of their senior leaders including it's Chairman, Tundu Lissu, and the lack of justice in the conduct of politics the TEC has decided to speakout.

Tanzania's leader of the opposition party (Chadema), Tundu Lissu with President Samia Suluhu in Brussels, Belgium, on February 16, 2022. 

Tundu Lissu, a firebrand critic of the current government who has been holding rallies across the country as part of his party's "No reforms, no election" campaign was arrested in Mbinga district and charged with treason early  this month.

His party, CHADEMA has declined to participate in the October general election until the electoral systems and procedures are reformed to enable space for the availability of fair election that provide genuine leaders. 

“In normal circumstances, who destroys peace? The one who uses force and insists that the election go as he wants or the one who says ‘come on, let’s go back to the table so that we can look at our electoral systems because the current systems cannot provide us with just and true leaders’?” Questioned the Prilate.

Speaking at the Easter Vigil held at the St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kagwa, Lindi Catholic Diocese, the Bishop said that if going back to the table is what can preserve peace, then everyone who promotes it should be supported, not suppressed or arrested.

"In this sense, all those arrested for demanding justice, including political party leaders, should be released immediately and unconditionally, and others should not be arrested or harassed." He stressed. 

The TEC President added that peace is a precious gift that is obtained at great cost, so it should not be tampered with. "The nation should reject the concept of singing a song of peace that does not come from justice." He warned.