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Pentecostal movements disrupting peace in Kilimanjaro region
2006-01-11 09:24:06
By Deogratias Mushi
Last week I wrote something about how Pentecostal movements/churches are disrupting family setups in Kilimanjaro region, and today I would like to express how the same sects put in danger peace and harmony in the same area.
Some parts of Kilimanjaro region are dominated by either Catholics or Lutherans.
Rombo district for example is over 90 percent catholic, while Kilema, Kirua, Uru and Kibosho divisions are almost 95 catholic. Machame division is 85 Lutheran, while Marangu is dominated by both Catholics and Lutherans.
Since the first missionaries arrived in the above areas, Christianity (Under catholic and Lutheran influence) has been part and parcel of people’s lives.
One takes his/her faith so seriously that he/she safeguards it in all ways.
My visit to Kibosho area during Christmas last year made me discover something peculiar that I had not noticed before.
In the past, it was difficult for a denomination (other than catholic) to come and to ’evangelize’ the area.
Back to my topic.
As I walked around Singa village, I noticed placards placed along different roads, saying there was going to be a Pentecostal prayer meeting in the village where 95 percent of its inhabitants are catholic.
I got puzzled and asked some village elders about who had authorized such meetings, and whether they knew what the impact of such religious rallies would be.
They simply said that they were opposed to such gatherings, but there was no way they could block such meetings since they had no mandate to do so.
After sometime, I interrogated a group of young men I found boozing in one of the local bars, about whether they could attend the Pentecostal prayers as different types of adverts had indicated.
’We don’t want this religious group in our land. We have warned leaders of this group not to come to our village because we may harm them.’ One of them told me.
I did not stay long enough in that village to know whether the meeting took place smoothly or not but further investigations revealed that there was a time bomb waiting to erupt between Catholics and Pentecostal movements in Kilimanjaro region.
Why am I saying so? Followers of Pentecostal movements, famously known as walokole have been using wrong approaches to get followers.
Instead of going to areas where modern religions have not been preached, the leaders of these sects have decided to convert Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans and even Muslims to their faith.
They speak ill of their formal religions promising heavens to their new followers. The same trend is moving at an alarming speed.
Local government leaders ought to intervene where a religious sect goes to disrupt where a particular denomination has already cemented its foundation. Long lasting religious conflicts in Northern Ireland, Nigeria, Indonesia and Pakistan have their foundation in such areas.
The fast mushrooming Pentecostal churches in the country pose a great danger to peace and harmony among followers of different religions in the future, and efforts must be made to limit them.
Could you imagine of a mlokole going to preach in Pemba? If he/she does so, isn’t that putting peace of the area in danger?
Relevant authorities concerned in inter-religious ought to define the function and limit of a religious group.
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