RELIGIOUS and political leaders as well faith stakeholders across East Africa and the wider world have joined Tanzanians in mourning the death of Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, the Archbishop Emeritus of Catholic Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam, who passed away on the night of February 19, at the age of 81.

Cardinal Pengo took his last breath at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, where he had been receiving treatment. President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed intense grief, describing Cardinal Pengo’s passing as a profound national loss. 

The Directorate of Presidential Communications, said in a statement that the Head of State had received the news with deep sorrow and great pain, as the late Cardinal was a distinguished spiritual leader whose life was devoted to faith, service and national unity.

“His significant contribution to spiritual upbringing and moral formation will continue to be remembered, valued and honoured,” the president affirmed in the statement.

She extended condolences to Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa’ichi of the Dar es Salaam archdiocese, the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), the Catholic faithful, religious leaders of various denominations and the entire Christian community, as well as the bereaved family, relatives and friends.

Zanzibar President Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi described Cardinal Pengo as a towering religious figure whose influence extended far beyond church walls.

“We have lost a distinguished religious leader who served the Catholic Church with integrity, humility and devotion,” he said, offering prayers for comfort and patience for the family and faithful.

Regional faith institutions also expressed sorrow at the departure of the top level cleric, with the Uganda Martyrs Organisation describing Cardinal Pengo as a devoted shepherd and church leader whose legacy of faith and unity would endure. 

“We join the people of Tanzania in mourning the passing of His Eminence Polycarp Pengo,” the statement read, with the Uganda Episcopal Conference praising the late cardinal as a steadfast voice of faith, unity and moral guidance whose life strengthened the church and nurtured spiritual growth among the faithful across East Africa.

The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) sent its condolences to Archbishop Ruwa’ichi and the diocese followers in his metropolitan see, where TEC extended its condolences and joined with the archdiocese in praying for his peaceful repose. 

Cardinal Pengo, the second Tanzanian to be elevated to the College of Cardinals after Cardinal Laurean Rugambwa, was a transformative leader in the Catholic Church for decades. 

Born on August 5, 1944, in Mwazye, Sumbawanga, he was ordained a priest in 1971 and earned a doctorate in moral theology from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome in 1977.

His early career included teaching at Kipalapala Theological Seminary and serving as the first Rector of Segerea Theological Seminary in Dar es Salaam, where he shaped generations of East African clergy.

Pengo’s episcopal journey began in 1983 as Bishop of Nachingwea, followed by leadership of the Diocese of Tunduru-Masasi. 

He became Coadjutor Archbishop of Dar es Salaam in 1990, succeeding Cardinal Rugambwa in 1992, and was elevated to the rank of Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 1998. He participated in the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI and the 2013 conclave that elevated Pope Francis.

Throughout his 27-year tenure as archbishop, Cardinal Pengo was recognized for his moral courage, advocating for the marginalized, promoting peace and fostering social justice across East Africa. 

He also served as president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) from 2007 to 2009 and held multiple Vatican positions, influencing church affairs on the global stage.

Following his retirement in 2019, Cardinal Pengo remained a revered elder statesman, offering guidance to clergy and faithful alike. His final days at JKCI were met with prayers from across East Africa, reflecting the enduring respect and admiration for a life devoted to faith, service and unity at the national and regional level.

Cardinal Pengo’s body will lie in state at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Dar es Salaam on February 27, 2026, from 3:00 am to 10:00 pm, before being transported to the Pugu Pilgrimage Centre for the final mass and burial on February 28, 2026. 

Faithful and citizens alike are expected to pay their final respects to a leader whose legacy transcends borders, generations, and denominations, observers noted.