By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (jeremyreynalds@gmail.com)
They were the Living Waters
International Church, Buyekera Pentecostal Assemblies of God, and
Evangelical Assemblies of God Tanzania, which are all located in the
Bukoba region, on the shores of Lake Victoria.
Then, during the night of
Sept. 26, three more churches - also in Bukoba - were torched. They were
the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kitundu Roman Catholic Church and
Katoro Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church. All are located in the
Katoro region of western Bukoba.
“The people woke up on 27th September to find their sanctuaries burnt down,” an anonymous source told WWM.
“The scenarios are the same.
Unknown people broke in, piled things onto the altar, poured petrol over
it and set it alight. They fled before anyone could respond, and so
remain unknown.”
The first fire occurred at
the Living Waters church. At around 4am local time, Pastor Vedasto
Athanas was awakened by a phone call from a neighbor alerting him that
his church was on fire. He rushed to the scene, but was too late to
prevent the damage to hundreds of chairs, tables and benches, and the
pulpit.
Shortly afterwards, WWM said, arsonists set fire to the Buyekera Pentecostal church, pastored by Rev. Emmanuel Narsis.
About an hour later, the
third church, in the nearby Kibeta neighbourhood, was torched. Its
pastor, Rev. Kabonaki, received a phone call just before 6am. He rushed
to the church, but not in enough time to prevent flames from destroying
the church and everything inside.
The secretary of the local
pastors' organization, the Bukoba Pastors Fellowship, said there have
been many arson attacks in the Kagera area since 2013.
“Since 2013 we have had over
13 churches torched here in Kagera, and no one has been held
accountable. This is not acceptable,” said the secretary, who WWM said
wished to be known only by her first name, Annette.
In early 2013, the church of
Rev. Innocent Mzinduki was torched. In July 2013, a pastor identified as
Joyce lost her church. In Sept. 2013, the Maruku Pentecostal Assemblies
of God Church was burned down.
In early 2015, Lutheran
churches in Rubale, Kyaka Mushasha and Kagondo Muleba were torched. In
February, the Calvary Assemblies of God, Itawa Baptist Church, Redeemed
Church, Kagondo and TMRC Kyabitembe were also burned down.
“And these are not the only
ones,” Annette told WWM. “They have now started adding fuel (paraffin or
petrol)to ensure maximum damage.”
According to the secretary, a
few people were arrested after the February arson incidents but they
were later released. No more investigative progress has been reported to
date.
“We are very upset and concerned, as this is a trend that can no longer be ignored,” she said.
Annette added, “The police
tell us they are investigating, but we have heard no progress from
investigations of previous church arson attacks.”
For more information visit www.worldwatchmonitor.org
Photo captions: 1) A Tanzanian church being torched. 2) Jeremy and Elma Reynalds.
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