Pinda: Witchcraft a major challenge to Rukwa and Katavi

Dar es Salaam. Former Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda yesterday said a belief in superstition was one of the major challenges facing citizens in Rukwa and Katavi regions, asking for support from the new Mpanda Diocese Bishop Eusebius Nzigilwa in order to help eliminate the vice.
The former Prime Minister said increasing the number of priests and worshippers were other challenges during a mass to welcome the former Dar es Salaam Diocese Auxiliary Bishop.
Mr Pinda made the statement as he represented President John Magufuli during Bishop Nzigilwa’s consecration as the new Mpanda Diocese Bishop,replacing the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mbeya Gervas Nyaisonga.
Speaking during the event, the ex-premier said despite the early religious civilisation in the area, superstition was a major challenge facing the two regions.
“Rukwa and Katavi are famous for witchcraft which is not a good thing.
“Although the incidents are declining, I think through our cooperation these cases will be surmounted,” he said.
Mr Pinda challenged Bishop Nzigilwa to increase the number of priests and worshippers in the diocese.
He said there was a seminary in the diocese that would enable him to identify and recruit people who would turn to be servants of God in the area.
“You would be challenged to travel in over 47,000 square-kilometre area resided by over 200,000 believers. You should aim at increasing the number of the faithful to 300,000, 500,000 and possibly a million even though I see how difficult it is,” he said.
Mr Pinda, who is also a honey producer, lauded President Magufuli’s administration for helping reduce ignorance, poverty and diseases, noting that ethical erosion due to globalisation was still a major challenge.
“Ignorance, poverty and diseases are still prevailing. We are supposed to support the government in addressing them as well as ethics erosions which are on the increase,” he said.
According to him, President Magufuli apart from congratulating Bishop Nzigilwa for the achievement, he assured him of outstanding support.
Earlier, Bishop Nyaisonga who doubles as the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) president called for solidarity and cooperation among worshippers in the diocese.
“Solidarity and cooperation that you have displayed during preparations and the climax of this event should continue in order for Bishop Nzigilwa’s missionary to bear spiritual fruits,” he said in his statement.
He said Bishop Nzigilwa has arrived in the diocese with humbleness and love which require a good welcoming for worshipers to reap spiritual fruits.
He called on worshipers in the Diocese to accord him the necessary cooperation to make his burden easy and the vice versa.
Preaching during the mass, Kigoma Diocese Bishop Joseph Mlola said Bishop Nzigilwa has arrived to serve citizens in the area and that he was ready to surrender his heart for prosperity of the church.
Other bishops who attended the event (and their respective dioceses shown in brackets) are: Filbert Mhasi (Tunduru-Masasi);  Renatus Nkwande (Mwanza); Desiderius Rwoma (Bukoba); Almachius Rweyongeza (Kayanga) and his auxiliary bishop Methodius Kilaini.