RESPECTING those in authority is vital for the country to be assured of peace and unity, a top legislator has declared.

Dr Tulia Ackson, speaker of the National Assembly, made this observation in remarks to the congregation at the Kimara Parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Asked to greet the congregation while attending church service, she appealed to Tanzanians to pray for maintaining peace, unity and harmony in the country, especially in view of the general election towards the end of the year.

The speaker, who funds a care centre attached to the parish, was making a routine visit and thus turned up for mass, where she urged church members to dedicate more of their time to praying for the nation’s future.

She highlighted the importance of collective prayers not only for the peaceful conduct of the general election but also for the nation to obtain strong, wise and capable leaders to steer the country towards greater progress.

“This is an important year where the nation will choose national leaders, it is important for us as church members to increase efforts in prayer for a calm election,” she pursued, stressing the power that prayer has in shaping the destiny of a country.

The general election is a major moment in the life of the country and it is crucial to have leaders who embody values of integrity, dedication and vision, she added.