Clerics to JK: Prevail on kadhi courts

Dar es Salaam. Mainstream churches in the country have appealed to President Jakaya Kikwete to use his powers as Head of State to withdraw the Bill seeking to establish Kadhi’s court, which is expected to be tabled today in Parliament.

In a joint statement, leaders of the churches also criticized President Kikwete for the remarks he made on March 28 that the Kadhi court is for Muslims and that the government won’t be financing it or be involved by any means.

The statement was signed by Bishop Alex Malasusa on behalf of the Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT), Bishop Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) that brings together all Catholic bishops and Bishop Daniel Awet on behalf of the Council of Pentecostal Churches of Tanzania (CPCT).

On Saturday, President Kikwete told religious leaders under Dar es Salaam Interreligious Peace Committee that the government would neither be involved in the re-establishment of the court nor manage it as Tanzania is a secular state.

However, bishops from mainstream churches argued that the President’s remarks are contrary to what is going on in Parliament where the MPs are set to discuss the Bill seeking to establish the court.

“We are asking ourselves whether President Kikwete’s remarks when he met the so-called religious leaders were genuine because Parliament is continuing to discuss something that the government won’t get engaged with or financing it,” read part of the statement.

For that the religious leaders want President Kikwete to order the withdrawn of the Bill since a research by Tanzania Law Reforms Commission  showed that the introduction of the court will creat religious tensions.

The leaders of mainstream churches met in Dodoma on Monday to pray together about the division which is apparent to Christian and Muslims with regard to introduction Kadhi court.

They warned that by introducing Kadhi Court the government would be starting religious war between Christians and Muslims. According to the statement what transpired during Mps seminar to discuss the Bill which sought to introduce Kadhi Court confirms the mainstreams religious churches leaders.

Some MPs who attended the seminar to discuss Kadhi Courts nearly exchanged blows last Sunday as they were involved in a heated debate pitting some Muslim lawmakers and their Christian counterpart.

“What happened in the seminar which involved Mps who are highly educated it is just a sign of what lay ahead (if Kadhi Court will be introduced)…we are surprised that the government is entertaining something which may end up tearing apart the nation,” read part of the statement.

In the statement the churches leaders expressed their disappointment over the government officials’ tendencies of convening informal meetings with religious leader under the Dar es Salaam Peace Committee Banner.