Religiously, Tanzania is split. Mainland Tanzania, historically, has been influenced by Christianity and socialism. The mainly Muslim population of the Zanzibar Archipelago wants recognition from the central government and a proposed Constitution is making provision for courts governed by Sharia (Islamic law). Violence against Christians at the hands of Islamic extremists has been reduced by the new government’s weakening of the aggressive “Awakening” movement, but Christians are still at risk, particularly in Zanzibar, but also in the coastal region of mainland Tanzania and Bukoba in the northwest.
Peace efforts in Tanzania ‘useless’
Christian leaders in Tanzania have said peace efforts between Christians and Muslims in the country have proved useless after the recent burning of two churches. The torching of a Lutheran church in Korogwe and Evangelical Assemblies of God church in Kalalani have caused the union of church denominations in the […]
Catholic priest victim of latest Zanzibar acid attack
An elderly Catholic priest has been the victim of an acid attack in Zanzibar. Amselmo Mwangamba was attacked on Friday (September 13) and is now in hospital receiving treatment to burns on his face, chest and arms. This is the fifth acid attack on the island since November, according to […]
Tanzania – bomb outside new Catholic church one of worst ‘terrorist’ incidents in years
Mwananchi Tanzania, once celebrated as a role model for peace in Africa, is no longer being considered ‘safe’ after an increase in inter-faith violence, with little evidence so far of perpetrators brought to justice. Last Sunday’s blast outside St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Arusha, a town popular with tourists […]
Tanzanian church bombed; two dead
Reuters is reporting that Tanzania has arrested four men from Saudi Arabia and four Tanzanians in connection with Sunday’s bombing of a new Catholic church that has claimed two lives so far and injured 60. The attack in Arusha, in a northern and predominantly Christian region of Tanzania, occurred during […]
Burned church is latest in string of Tanzanian attacks
Arsonists burned a Tanzania church Feb. 19 in the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, two days after gunmen killed a Catholic priest there. The Evangelical Church of Siloam was set afire early Feb. 19 by an as-yet-unidentified group of people, police spokesman Mohamed Mhina said. No one was hurt and the […]