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Nobody Has Right to Destroy Human Life, Tanzanian Archbishop Decries Rising Murder Cases

Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa'ichi of Tanzania's Dar es Salaam Archdiocese. Credit: Courtesy Photo

The Catholic Archbishop of Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Archdiocese has lamented about the increasing cases of murder in the East African nation saying no one is permitted to end another person’s life.

Reports show that at least 22 people have been killed in Tanzania since the beginning of the year, mostly because of family disagreements.

“In recent days, there have been cases of murder. Do Tanzanians understand the value of life?” Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa'ichi poses in a video message.

Archbishop Ruwa’ichi adds, “Let us remember that life belongs to God and since life comes from God, remember also that no human being has the permission to play, humiliate or destroy the life of his fellow man.”  

The Tanzanian Archbishop emphasizes the need to respect human life saying, “Human beings belong to God. We have been created in the image and likeness of God and everyone has his worth on earth.” 

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The increased killings show that Tanzanians “may have forgotten the value of life,” the member of the Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin (OFM Cap.) further says.

While stating that he does not have definite answers as to why there are increased killings in the country, the 68-year-old Archbishop says he presumes that the murders are happening because people are ignoring “the positive and accurate view of life."

"It is also possible that the stresses of our economy make us unable to look at issues properly and give them the required attention," he adds. 

Regardless of the reason for the killings, the Catholic Church leader says that the country is experiencing “a challenge, a social crisis." 

“There is a place we have gone wrong," the Local Ordinary of Dar es Salaam says in the video published February 13 by the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC). 

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To address the issue, Archbishop Ruwa’ichi calls upon all Tanzanians "to reflect on our outlook on our lives and values." 

He also urges adults in the East African nation to reexamine the values that they pass on to the younger generation. 

"What values do children and young people have from childhood?" he poses, and observes, "We have lost the awareness and attitude of properly bringing up children." 

"We are invited to look deeply at ourselves and see where we are, where we are coming from, where we are going, and how we want to reach our destination," Archbishop Ruwa'ichi says, adding that the happenings in Tanzania should not be taken lightly. 

"It is important to take things seriously," the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam says in the February 13 video recording.

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Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.