DEFENDING VOICES FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE
CIDSE expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation following the violent attack on Fr. Charles Kitima, Secretary General of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference. The incident took place on the evening of 30 April 2025 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where the priest was attending a meeting of religious leaders.
As an international alliance of Catholic organisations for social justice, CIDSE and its member organisations, KOO, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Misereor, and Welthaus, which are direct partners of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference, stand in full solidarity with Father Kitima and the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference.
CIDSE calls for an urgent investigation into this act and for those responsible to be brought to justice. Violence must never be allowed to silence voices of peace and humanity.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- Personal attack on the Secretary General of the Tanzania Episcopal conference (TEC) – Rev. Fr. Charles Kitima, Tanzania Episcopal Conference notice to the public, 1st May 2025.
- Tanzania: Outrage as Catholic Bishops’ Secretary General Attacked at Secretariat in Dar es Salaam, Amid Rising Church-State Tensions, Catholic Information Service for Africa CISA, 2 May 2025.
- Tanzanian priest – and government critic – brutally attacked, by BBC, 2 May 2025.
- Tanzanie: inquiétudes après l’agression d’un prêtre critique du régime, by RFI France, 3 May 2025.
CIDSE Contact: Emmanuel Yap, CIDSE Food and Land Policy Officer, yap(at)cidse.org
Cover Photo: Fr. Charles Kitima with other religious leaders in Tanzania. Credits: Tanzania Episcopal Conference.