PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to work closely with religious leaders for improving social cohesion, appealing to clerics to help raise awareness and readiness to take part in the coming elections.

Officiating at the climax of the annual meeting of the Council of Pentecostal Churches in Tanzania (CPCT) at the denomination’s Central Bible College in the capital, he asked religious institutions to help push government agenda for development, as apart from spiritual guidance they also play a big role in providing social services, promoting economic growth.

Asserting that religious institutions have been part of the solution to various challenges that face the people of Tanzania, he said the government values the contribution of religious institutions in preserving the country’s peace and unity,.

Expressing commitment to reinforce cooperation with the civic organisations in executing development plans, the premier affirmed that religious leaders are closer to the people and can thus espouse the development agenda and plans.

He stressed on preparing for the local government elections towards the end of the year, vowing to ensure peaceful elections in the civic polls and in the general election next year. “The government has everything in place to ensure there is a conducive environment for peaceful and transparent elections,” he said, appealing to religious leaders to ask people to exercise their constitutional rights of voting and being elected.

“It is evident that religious institutions have been supporting the government in addressing various challenges in education and health sectors as well as helping in alleviating poverty in the society,” he declared.

He similarly appealed to religious institutions to help address issues like religious beliefs so that they uphold unity, while in Dar es Salaam, ‘Arise and Shine’ tabernacle leader apostle Boniface Mwamposa urged the government to leave issues of religious disputes to the various denominations.

He said in a massive open air ceremony that failing to recognise services rendered in this or that denomination or following was a problem of faith and how it is demonstrated, not a matter for public administration.

Archbishop Dr Barnabas Mtokambali, the CPCT chairman, reaffirmed the council’s intention to collaborate with the government in developing education and health services by setting up and running hospitals, health centres, schools and various colleges.

This not only reduces the heavy burden on the government in serving the public but also helps to alleviate the major problem of youth unemployment. The denomination would also collaborate with the government in promoting good morals through teachings to counteract the global trend of moral decay, the cleric declared.

CPTC was vocal in opposing same-sex marriages or liaisons along with irresponsible parenting as it leads to an increase of street children, similar to rejecting archaic customs like female genital mutilation and superstitious beliefs resulting in the killing of people with albinism, he added.