This archive report was first published on 23 November 2019.
As Tanzanians prepare to head to the polls for local government elections, a Bishop of the Catholic Church has weighed in on the matter, urging citizens to exercise their right to vote.
However, the Bishop's directive has sparked debate about the role of the Catholic Church in politics, with some arguing that the Church should remain neutral in electoral matters.
According to Elsie Eyakuze, a consultant and blogger, the Catholic Church has a long history of involvement in politics, dating back to the Holy Roman Empire.
Over the centuries, the Church has supported both the meek and the mild, as well as the oppressors of the poor and downtrodden, often simultaneously.
Today, the Church is moving closer to the teachings of a rebellious Jewish prophet, with a focus on socialist ideals and a more inviting and accepting Church.
However, Eyakuze warns that the Church's immense power and influence can be a double-edged sword, and that citizens should approach the polls with a critical eye, rather than blindly following the Church's directives.
As Eyakuze notes, 'If folks need to go to the polls, let them do so in good faith and not as blind followers of an institution that should always beware of its immense power and how it uses it.'
