Refrain from fights during polls, political parties told

Political parties should instead promote peace and unity, thus creating a better environment to elect leaders in a democratic way that doesn’t affect the country’s peace.

Bishop Dr Hudson Mwaijunga, in a Christmas homily yesterday at the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) church here, said that for Tanzanians to get the best leaders, there should be calm in activities of political parties.

The country is heading towards local government elections next year so political parties must remain peaceful and create a better environment for Tanzanians to elect leaders who will lead the country accordingly, he stated.

What Tanzanians do not like to see during elections is misunderstandings among politicians, especially within the same party, mostly disagreeing over choice of candidates and thus leadership positions.

Every human being has been given with reason so everyone who needs to show leadership has to follow democratic guidelines already put in place, he said, raising a finger at corruption in elections, underlining that Tanzanians detest corruption and other ills conflicting with the country’s laws and culture.

The government needs to ensure that it prevents disruptive incidents with a democratic voting environment so that the polls are held in a fair, peaceful and peaceful manner, he said at a service attended by religious leaders from Malawi next door, as part of strengthening good neighbourliness.

Bishop Daniel Masamba, Assemblies of God Church prelate in Lilongwe city in Malawi, said the good relationship between Tanzania and Malawi helps strengthen the economy and spiritual services between citizens of the two countries.

In his Christmas service homily he said the two countries have kindred peoples on the border and often share spiritual things, with observers noting that a number of adherents from Mozambique, DRC and Zambia attended the Kawe Christmas service with ‘Arise and Shine’ spiritual assembly.

The bishop affirmed that there are many Tanzanians who come to Malawi to do business and Malawians crossing the border to do business, affirming that it is a good thing making people feel like they belong to one family. Spiritual cooperation between our churches is more easily fostered, he said.

Rev. Dr, Eliona Kimaro of the Kijitonyama parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) in his Christmas homily warned leaders from promoting themselves and instead look at the needs of the next generation.

There is a need for leaders to prepare a better foundation for the next generation instead of focusing on personal interests, he stated, citing the shining example of the late state founders like Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume,.

They were always thinking about the people and of their personal welfare, so leaders should stop thinking about the next election. Their focus should be on the future of the next generation, he added.