Author: MATERN KAYERA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: RELIGIOUS leaders have expressed their commitment to support the National Electoral Committee (NEC) and the general public to ensure the forthcoming General Election is conducted in a peaceful environment.
On October 28, this year, Tanzanians will elect the President, Members of Parliament and Councillors.
The commitment by religious leaders was expressed yesterday during their meeting with officials of the national electoral body during which the latter updated the former on the preparations for the crucial exercise.
Opening the meeting, Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) retired Judge Semistocles Kaijage, pleaded with religious leaders to help in ensuring the nation sails through the important and trying period peacefully.
Judge Kaijage said that since religious leaders were leading a big number of people or believers, the NEC found it necessary to ask them to use their influence on their followers so that the election is conducted in a peaceful and calm atmosphere.
“Acknowledging your role in the community, we are fully aware that you are key stakeholders in the election.
The national electoral body sees the importance of cooperating with you as you have powers and enormous influence on your followers, said Judge Kaijage.
Religious leaders on their part received positively the request made by NEC, promising to play their influential role on their followers not only to participate in the election but also to uphold peace and tranquility.
The Director of Pastoral Department of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), Rev Fr Florence Rutahiwa, acknowledged that they had the responsibility to ensure that peace and tranquility prevailed during the general election by directing their followers to obey election laws and rules.
“Let God be ahead of us in the coming general election; we should not allow unethical issues,” he said.
He quoted Psalm 127:1-5 in the Bible that reads: “ Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat– for he grants sleep to those he loves” Fr Rutahiwa said God was the answer to every matter.
On his part, Dar es Salaam Regional Sheikh Alhad Mussa Salum, said that it was a good thing for NEC to meet with religious leaders because they had important role to play in the area of peace and tranquility, and as if it is not enough, the voters are their followers.
“We have the duty to help NEC by directing our followers to observe discipline, procedures and election laws, and by so doing, we also help the government and Tanzanians and at the end of the day, we end up having a safe and peaceful election,” said Sheikh Alhad Salum.
Moravian Pastor, Neema Kashiririka, said that peace was a precious thing because without it, nothing can be done, so religious leaders have the responsibility to ensure peace is maintained so that the country gets good leaders during the general election.
