Forth we need to appreciate the impending danger we need to agree that in Tanzania Muslims is a majority although the government is making deliberate efforts to conceal this fact and feels comfortable with the notion that Muslim-Christian religious distribution is fifty-fifty. All said and done this does not alleviate the intensity of the conflict should it occur when Muslims would be forced to rise up.
In the 1957 census Muslims outnumbered Christians at a ration of three to two.
[1] Ten years after in 1967, in the post independence census Muslims were 30%, Christians 32 and local belief 37%. Reasons were not given for this sudden decrease of Muslims or the growth of pagans. It is on record that the 1967 statistics were doctored to show that Muslims were trailing behind Christians in numerical strength. It is worthwhile to quote in full a letter by one Amiri Mchomvu which appeared in the
Family Mirror about the 1967 census:
Last month I chanced to come across Africa Information Newsletter, (September 26, 1994 issue) in which there was an article on Tanzania titled: Islamic fundamentalism worries the government.
I found the article by a renewed Tanzanian journalist, Lawrence Kilimwiko to be very anti-Islam. Besides, Mr. Kilimwiko says that about 40% of Tanzanians are Christians and 30% Muslims. I think that is a statistical error.
During the 1967 Population Census, the first census since independence,
I was one of the census enumerators in Tabora Region. It is believed that this was the only successful of the 3 population census conducted since independence ( i.e. 1967, 1978 and 1988) as it was wholly conducted by the form V students. Corruption, embezzlement etc. Of census funds and other administrative vices that plagued the last two census (1978 and 1988) were things unknown at that time.
It was the only census which had probed Tanzanians religious adherence. I clearly remember the bulky questionnaire form, one question of which asked the persons religion, whether he was Christian, Muslim, Other (e.g. Hindu, Budhist etc.) or traditional, e.g. pagan.
I also remember the census results, published by the then Tanganyika Standard late that year 1967 (I have forgotten the date of the issue) in which it was shown that Muslim constituted 63% of the population.
Now whoever thinks that such verdict is not correct I challenge him/her to substantiate otherwise with official results of the 1967 Census if they at all can get hold of them. It is believed that in early 1970s the Statistical Department was ordered to destroy all the 1967 census result simply because they showed the Muslim in Tanzania to be in majority. Anyone to take up the challenge on the truth of 1967 census? Mr. Kilimwiko?
[2]
The challenge was never taken not by Kilimwiko or anyone.
The Church has to have has to have very powerful agents in the government to be able to wipe out a sizeable section of a population out of statistics. The power and influence of Christianity in Tanzanias political system will manifest itself in subsequent pages of this study. D.B. Barret gives statistics which show Muslims as a minority: Muslims 26%, Christians 45% and local belief 28%. Tanzania National Demographic Survey figures for 1973 have Muslims at 40%, Christians 38.9% and local belief 28%.
Africa South of the Sahara shows that Muslims are a majority in Tanzania at 60% This figure has remained constant in all its subsequent publications since 1991.
[3]
https://www.jamiiforums.com/#_ftnref1
[1]
Africa South of the Sahara, Europa Publication, London, No. 20 1991, p. 1027.
[2] Family Mirror, Second Issue, November 1994 p.6. To substantiate the allegation of corruption as referred in the letter the Index of Perceptions published by Transparency International Tanzania was ranked 81 th position among 85 nations. See
The East African September 28-October 4, 1998.
[3] Africa South of the Sahara, Europa Publication, London, No. 20 1991, p. 1027.
Population of Muslims is bound to increase due to Christian converting to Islam. Beginning 1980s Tanzania has experienced a wave of Christians converting to Islam as a result Muslim Bible preachers who preach Islam through the Bible. This is at the moment is the major conflict between the government and Muslims. The government has taken drastic action on Muslim organisation responsible for converting Christians and there have been occasions in which mosques have been raided by police and Muslims arrested, jailed and others killed in the process. See appendix.