Peace, education, polls dominate Easter messages

Karagwe/Dar es Salaam/Mbeya. Christians have been urged to promote peace and tranquility – and remember to give quality education to their children to help them solve social problems outside classrooms.

The messages were aired by different religious leaders during the Easter Sunday preaching in different regions across Tanzania.

At the St Joseph Church in Karagwe Region, the head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kayanga, Bishop Almachius Rweyongeza, said Tanzania needs quality education.

“We see curricula being changed from time to time and children studying to acquire certificates only, not life skills. So, looking forward, we will have a very strange nation,” the good Bishop said.

Noting that youths who are educated at high cost are expected to become an important human resource for the nation, he lamented that what is going on in the education system will see to them remaining humble servants in their own country.

“There is a message written on one university gate: ‘If you want to destroy a nation, you do not need a nuclear weapon; just destroy the education system’,” he said.

In Mbeya, the Jerusalem Temple Reverend Edward Mtweve of the Tanzania Assemblies of God called for the promotion of peace and love.

“Even if you are a public servant, you need to be courageous on what you are doing because God is with you,” he said – adding that there are some people who fear people in authority, little knowing that the authority is God-given.

In Dar es Salaam, Efatha Church Pastor Constantine Massawe cautioned Christians to get prepared all times because people are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

He said Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead on the third day, celebrated as Easter Sunday in honour of the resurrection.

“We should be positive in life, avoid being judgmental, weak; accept responsibilities and do good, otherwise, wolves in sheep’s clothing are waiting to pounce on us and take us away from the path of the righteousness,” he stressed.

At St Alban Church, the Bishop of the Dar es Salaam Diocese of the Anglican Church, Jackson Sosthenes, urged Christians to participate in the October local government elections peacefully.

The bishop insisted on two other things for worshippers: self-reflection and avoiding selfish behaviour.

“I want everyone on this day (Easter Sunday) to do a self-reflection on their behaviour and life as a whole, and see if you are living a life close to Christ our Savior who sacrificed Himself for our sins,” he said.

To commemorate the resurrection – which is described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after His crucifixion at The Calvary – the Assistant Priest of the St Peter’s Church in Dar es Salaam, Bathromeo Bachoo, simply said “our God sent His Son Jesus Christ to pour His sacrificial blood and die for us sinners.”

Reported by Yonatan Kossam in Mbeya; Asna Kaniki, Rosemary Mirondo, John Nakwahe, Josephine Christopher and Tumaini Msowoya in Dar es Salaam