Clerics caution on resource use

BAK · 2011-04-24T02:37:36+00:00

Clerics caution on resource use By The guardian team 23rd April 2011 Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania Head Bishop Dr Alex Malasusa (R) with other faithful at Azania Front Church yesterday. Leaders were yessterday reminded to ensure the country's natural resources are used for the benefit of all citizens instead of private gain. The call was made by Fr Gabriel Mwakasita, in Mbeya yesterday, during Good Friday prayer service held at Mwanjelwa Parish. He said recent corruption scandals were a result of greedy leaders who wanted to use the resources for their own interests. The cleric warned the leaders to be careful when signing big investment contracts. He said making any mistakes when signing the contracts could lead to depletion of national wealth by the unscrupulous few. "You must be careful when signing the contracts because once you mess up, Tanzanians will lose trust in you," he said. Fr Mwakasita hit at some political leaders, who after assuming their positions, rushed to live in towns, leaving their voters to suffer in rural areas. "Live where you were chosen to serve the people who elected you. Stop shifting to big cities after elections. Stay in your constituencies for easy consultation with your voters and experience their problems," he noted. He called on leaders to respect voters because they were the ones who put them in power, adding that some of them leave their constituencies and only return a few months before the elections. In Iringa, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) Pastor Enock Mlyuka also warned the leaders to stop plundering the country's resources. Mlyuka who was speaking during Good Friday prayer service said the gap between the rich and the poor was widening and could end up dividing the nation. The pastor, who is also a lecturer at the Tumaini University in Iringa, said current problems that Tanzanians faced were a result of lack of public leadership ethics. Commenting on the problems facing African countries, he said they were largely contributed by lack of ethical leaders since those in power had forgotten their responsibilities. At Dar es Salaam's St Columbus Parish of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, former Prime Minister John Malecela called on Tanzanians to jealously protect the peace, love and harmony that they have enjoyed since independence. He noted that peace and harmony in the country was being eroded. Malecela referred to what the Father of the Nation, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere had once said: "Time will come when Tanzanians will get tired of peace and harmony…" calling on Tanzanians to resist any attempts to derail peace and unity. At a Good Friday prayer service led by Antony Msinjili, Malecela explained that there were signs indicating some Tanzanians were tired of peace and harmony due to the fact that some had started misusing their positions and property to divide Tanzanians. He also called on religious leaders to use their positions well in bringing about unity, respect and mutual understanding among the people of different belief systems. On corruption, the former PM blamed those involved in the scandals. SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Thread starter BAK
Start date Apr 24, 2011

BAK

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Clerics caution on resource use

BAK

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