PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has called on religious leaders and followers to use places of worship to strengthen their faith and foster unity, rather than allowing them to become sources of conflict and division.

At a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the Al Ghaith Mosque, which will be the largest mosque in East Africa, the president emphasised that places of worship should bring believers to embrace positive collective values.

The mosque, funded by the Dar Al Ber Society of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) working with the local branch of the Islamic Foundation, is expected to cost 7bn/- up to completion.

“Places of worship should unite us, not divide us. Religious leaders should not be the cause of division among their followers,” she urged, underlining that human beings will always have differences, “but we must avoid using our differences to cause disharmony.”

She dwelt on the role of women in child-rearing, appealing to them to take an active role in parenting to combat ongoing moral decline in society. Parental authority should not be left to men alone as mothers need to engage more comprehensively in children’s upbringing, she said.

“Mothers, don’t threaten your children with their fathers when they misbehave,” she said, demanding that they instead sit down with them, guide them, and help them understand their actions. “It is your responsibility to nurture your children with care and strong values,” she declared.

The president praised the Islamic Foundation for helping to build over 1,000 mosques across the country, plus its focus on constructing madrasas to educate children and promote good morals.

Foundation contributions in health, education and water are commendable, as durable acts of charity that benefit communities for many years to come.

Hamad Yusuph Masauni, the Home Affairs minister, appreciated the president’s active participation in inter-religious events, stressing the importance of collaboration between the government and religious institutions in ensuring peace and stability.

He also levelled a warning gesture at politicians who exploit election periods to incite violence, underlining that “we must avoid such behaviour and protect the peace and stability that we all benefit from.”

Arif Nahad, the foundation president, explained that the mosque’s construction began in October 2021 and is now 80 percent complete. Once finished it will accommodate up to 3,000 worshippers, be dotted with a mortuary, a modern library, accommodation for religious leaders and a madrasa.

The foundation has built more than 1,600 mosques across the country, with over 80,000 pupils regularly enrolled in its madrasas, while drilling more than 3,000 wells to bring water services nearer to communities.

Nahad also requested President Samia’s support for the establishment of a teacher training college on a 38-acre plot in Kitungwa, Morogoro District, which the head of State accepted, at the event concluding a two-day tour of the region.