Bishop Munga: The courageous voice for Tanzania’s marginalised

His thesis, which was published by Lund University in 1998, titled ‘Beyond the Controversy: A Study of African Theologies of Inculturation and Liberation’, revealed a man of faith who is also in tune with the suffering of ordinary Tanzanians.

He tried to understand his culture as an African and its inculturation. His thesis would define his life mission for decades to come. Liberation theology: how to use his faith and influence to speak for marginalised.

The Swedish Evangelical Mission played a big role in enabling him to pursue further studies in their country in 1991. He relocated to Sweden with his wife and two kids he had at the time; he would later be blessed with two more babies who were born there and currently reside there.

His time was strictly dedicated to studies and family. Dr Munga and his wife had their hands full; they were both studying at Lund University while raising their children.

Speaking of their time in Sweden, Rev. Dr Anneth Munga, the bishop’s wife, said their ties to the country date back to the time when she was just a young child; the Swedish missionary in her village helped raise her after her mother’s demise.

Coincidentally, the same missionary Swedish lady she affectionately calls ‘Mama Ulla’, who took care of her as a child in the village, helped babysit their kids when the Munga family moved to Lund during their rigorous studies.

Learning the medium of communication a society uses helps ease the integration. Luckily, Rev. Dr Munga was fluent in Swedish; she had learnt it for years, and the Bishop enrolled in a Swedish class the first year they got to the country.

They were surrounded by gracious neighbours, whose doors were always open to them. They felt the love and admiration from the community they lived in. “They have unity and cooperation within their community. Sweden is one of the countries with strong traditions of socialism,” said Mrs Munga.

Their church community became part of their family; it went beyond prayer sessions.

Their kids would play together and get invited to birthdays, and soon they felt part of the Lund community they lived in. They met a few Tanzanians who were also studying at the university; most of the fellow countrymen they met stayed temporarily, but they got to know each other well. 

The weekends were moments to stay home with their kids and catch up on the busy week they had. The days were spent between visiting friends and visiting churches as guest preachers.

“We were invited to preach by the Church of Sweden and Swedish Evangelical Mission whenever they gathered,” Mrs Munga elaborated.

They used these opportunities not only to preach but also to attest to the community projects and social services that the church has been able to implement back at home in Tanzania.

That was the core of what the Bishop was passionate about. Seeing that the Church has noticeable participation in uplifting its people not only with words but with tangible deeds. On 5th August 2001, Dr Stephen Munga was ordained as a bishop and returned to Tanzania.

Back home, he continued serving the church as a leader, simultaneously standing as the voice of integrity and empathy.

His message emphasised social justice, dignity, health, and lifting people out of poverty. He insisted that speaking up for the downtrodden is synonymous with the gospel he preaches.

His boldness didn’t always sit well with the political elite. Nevertheless, he humbly but firmly spoke his mind even when it was unsuitable to do so.

Dr Mrs Munga remembers when government primary and secondary schools were instructed to ban girls who got pregnant while in school from continuing with their studies. He vehemently protested it.

She verbalised what he said: “When you deny a girl education, you subject her and her future children to a lifetime of poverty and ignorance.”

As the countrywide debates on the matter were raging on, it was even hotly debated in the parliament.

Bishop Munga used his pulpit as a platform to speak for these voiceless young girls. His wife is glad the Bishop got to see the ban lifted before he was called home.

He understood the dynamics of the work he was doing; he actively engaged with national leaders, and when the situation necessitated, he communicated with international leaders. He spoke at the European Union parliament committee, lobbying for Tanzanians to have more benefits from foreign investment in our extractive industry. He felt it was his moral responsibility.

Norwegian Church Aid-Tanzania Country Director, Berte Marie Ulveseter, with whom Bishop Munga worked closely, eulogised him as more than a religious leader.

But a champion of human rights, a tireless advocate for economic justice, and a committed bridge-builder across faiths. “As a close friend and long-standing partner of NCA, he played a key role in shaping our shared vision for a just and inclusive society.

Throughout his leadership as Chair of the Interfaith Standing Committee,” she mentioned. “On Economic Justice and Integrity of Creation (ISCEJIC), Bishop Munga led impactful campaigns, including the ‘Make It Possible’ campaign in 2018, calling for tax commitments as a pathway to universal health insurance in Tanzania,” she added.

“Whether advocating for ethical mining, civic space, or access to healthcare, he remained consistent, courageous, and compassionate,” she said.

Advocate Gloria Mafole from the Interfaith Standing Committee had worked with the late Bishop for the last 18 years.

They worked on a challenging mission to ensure that ordinary Tanzanians reaping the benefits of the mining industry had received abundant foreign investment, but the communities surrounding the mines had little to show in terms of infrastructure improvement that came with the investments.

Bishop Munga was part of the Tanzanian religious leaders who were tasked to engage the investors. “The people who were displaced and had their land seized refused to negotiate with anyone; that’s when we brought Islamic and Christian leaders to mediate,” she said.

Religious leaders are revered and respected, Gloria noted, and their influence and ability to speak to government leaders, the people, and investors alike were the strength that the InterFaith Standing Committee harnessed to be able to broker better living standards for communities living close to these extractive industries.

“Bishop, as a human being, believed in equality; he was never scared of standing up for individuals’ rights and freedom.  “He was a man of peace and reconciliation, too,” she said.

Bishop never accepted Tanzania having big mineral investments while its communities were in poverty with no land to farm. “He told me to never sell my soul for whatever amount of money is offered to me,” she added. Something that he practised.

During his time in Europe, he built a network of friends who became vital when he needed financial backup in major initiatives he was implementing in Lushoto.

A district-designated hospital in Kilindi that eased the transportation burden of pregnant women and nursing mothers and reduced maternal deaths was a direct result of Bishop Munga’s engagement with the Finnish Government through their embassy in Dar es Salaam and the Finnish Evangelical mission.

The then President Jakaya Kikwete was the guest of honour presiding over the opening ceremony. This, with the establishment of Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University, was among many initiatives that, together with his diocese, he was able to accomplish during his tenure.

Part of his family still resides in Sweden, along with his grandkids, whom he was so fond of. His social media followers got to see his personal life as a father and a grandfather.

He was not shy to tell his children living in Sweden how much he loves them. He posted about his daily life mingling with ordinary Tanzanians just as much as he posted about the infringement of people’s rights in Tanzania whenever an incident occurred.

He was never known for sugar-coating anything. He never belonged to any political party.

He stood as a man of faith and a servant for the people. And his organisation he founded, ‘Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation’, is the legacy he leaves behind.