Tanzanian Catholic Bishop Encourages Continued Dialogue on Safeguarding in Africa

“We are committed to their safety and well-being,” he said, and went on to urge other regional bodies of Episcopal conferences across Africa to remain engaged in conversations on safeguarding.

He added, “My appeal is that discussions like the one we are having here in Nairobi continue across all regions—West, South, and East Africa.” 

The Spiritan Bishop said that safeguarding efforts should go beyond “creating rules and regulations,” and called instead for greater awareness and education.

“It is about dialogue and awareness,” he said, and explained, “In Tanzania, for instance, there are laws protecting minors, but what we need more is continuous education and open discussion.”

For him, vigilance and proactive preventive measures are particularly vital in Africa, where “record-keeping is often weak.”

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“We must act proactively and remain vigilant,” he said, urging the Church in Africa to be open to learning from the experiences of other regions, including America and Europe.

During the October 22 interview, the Tanzanian Catholic Church leader  shared that the AMECEA region has adopted a “listening approach” in its efforts to foster a stronger safeguarding culture and ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults.

“Our strategy is that whenever anyone comes forward claiming to have been abused, we, as Bishops, must listen attentively and compassionately. Every person deserves to be heard,” he said.

Bishop Kimaryo, who has been at the helm of the Same Catholic Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in June 2010, commended the diverse composition of delegates attending the three-day event, noting that the involvement of Seminarians is particularly important.

“If you look at our gathering here, you will notice that we have Bishops, formators, and Seminarians present. We wanted the seminarians to hear directly from us, the Bishops, how seriously we take this issue,” he said.

He added, “While safeguarding is taught in class, hearing about it firsthand from Church leaders makes a deeper impact. We want our seminarians to understand our commitment to transparency—nothing should be hidden.”

The October 21-23 event brings together representatives from AMECEA member countries, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, with Djibouti and Somalia participating as affiliate members.

Nicholas Waigwa is a Kenyan multimedia journalist and broadcast technician with a professional background in creating engaging news stories and broadcasting content across multiple media platforms. He is passionate about the media apostolate and Catholic Church communication.