WE won’t grow tired of periodically declaring, and reminding ourselves, as well as people close to, and far beyond Tanzania, that Tanzania is a land of love, peace and harmony.
When certain things are said and repeated frequently, some quarters may perceive them to be monotonous and even boring.
Our feeling though is that certain messages need to be repeated frequently so that their importance remains alive.
For some people undermine the importance of some vital factors that relate to interpersonal and inter-community relationships, or ignore them outright.
That is a highly risky scenario if it is left intact, because it can escalate into a potentially unmanageable situation. Once that happens, it may be too late to take remedial action.
In more critical cases, a given community, and in worse ones, a country, may be doomed to destruction.
Back to the love, peace and harmony narrative, these, combined, form a giant cello-tape that binds us together, the fact that we belong to different tribes, races and religions being incidental.
On religion, specifically, people are entitled to belong to, and practice whichever their hearts or consciences desire. Onto that aspect is freedom of worship, so long as one exercises it without violating the laws of the land.
Problems arise, however, and they explode into crises, when mischievous people, singly or in groups, undermine the religions other than their own.
This is totally unacceptable, to which end, successive governments have been striving to curb tendencies that threaten to sow seeds of religious tension.
Beyond that, indeed, the governments have been striving to promote inter-religious harmony, anchored on the fact that all of us are creations of one Almighty God to whom we all relate.
It is significant, indeed, that on critical aspects like love, peace and harmony, to which we subscribe as citizens, there is commonality.
But more significant is utmost respect of fundamental religious aspects like the Holy Books, including the Quran for Muslims and the Bible for Christians.
How despicable it was then, that, a government employee in Morogoro Region’s Kilosa District, Daniel Maleki, recently tore pages of the Holy Quran in public-a deeply shocking event that was captured on camera and publicized on social media .
Most fittingly, President Magufuli recently fired him, as his idiotic action was hurtful to all people of goodwill, whichever religion they profess.
