PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has called upon Tanzanians to uphold peace and refrain from acts that promote violence, threatening unity and harmony.

Gracing the national Eid assembly at the King Mohammed VI Mosque in Kinondoni in the city, the premier urged families to take the leading role in addressing moral decay.

Lauding religious leaders for their prayers for peace, unity and stability, he said the peace we have is the key to achieving social, political and economic development.

He praised the Muslim Council of Tanzania (BAKWATA) for planning and coordinating Hajj activities, enabling Muslims to implement the important pillar of faith.

The council also needs to coordinate the professionalism of all institutions that send Muslims for pilgrimage, he said, with the council’s secretary general Sheikh Nuhu Mruma urging the wider society to reaffirm unity regardless of religious loyalties.

“We must protect and maintain peace because without peace we cannot have the opportunity to perform worship and other rightful activities,’ he said, pointing at the need for Muslims to take a leading role in environmental care.

The council expects to launch a tree-planting exercise on Friday (June 20) to complement government efforts, he said, similarly appealing to Muslims across the country to participate in the due elections.

They can seek to be elected or take part in choosing who is elected as it is their constitutional right, so they must turn out in large numbers to register to vote as the voter register update is being rolled out, he emphasised.

Sheikh Suwedi Twaibu, secretary for the council of religious experts, said that Muslims need to be at the forefront of upholding peace, pointing at the coming general election as a test.

In his remarks at the Eid assembly at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma, he said that at this time when Tanzania is about to elect leaders, “we need to refrain from listening to people who spread hatred, but also we have the right to vie for various positions during the exercise.”

Sheikh Mustapha Rajabu, the regional sheikh, called upon able-bodied believers to remember the less privileged, including widows, orphans and the elderly.

During the celebrations, the less fortunate have often been supported by the more able as this was the time to show solidarity so that all can celebrate.

Ambassador Adadi Rajabu, chairman of the Personal Data Protection Commission hailed the people of Muheza for participating in prayers for his deceased family members in the Kerenge Village cemetery and offering food gifts.

He praised President Samia and the government for steps taken in dealing with criminal activities, urging religious leaders to reaffirm cooperation with the government in condemning evil acts.

The prayers were held at the main mosque in Muheza, Tanga Region, with Sheikh Omari Athumani Zuberi, the local imam, leading prayers for marking Eid Al-Adha, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's readiness to sacrifice his son as a sign of his obedience to God.