Keypoints:
- MP Josephat Gwajima’s church deregistered after critical sermon
- Worshippers protest closure amid election-year tension
- Rights groups demand probe into activist torture claims
TANZANIAN authorities have shut down a church led by a ruling party lawmaker after he publicly criticised the government for alleged human rights abuses ahead of the country’s general elections in October.
The Glory of Christ Tanzania Church, founded by CCM MP Josephat Gwajima, was deregistered by the Registrar of Societies, citing sermons that contravened the expected conduct of religious organisations. On Tuesday, police cordoned off the Dar es Salaam church after hundreds of congregants gathered to protest the closure.
Sermon sparks government backlash
In a recent Sunday sermon, Gwajima accused the government of engaging in enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions, urging his followers to remain alert in the lead-up to the polls. His remarks were delivered days after reports emerged that a Kenyan and a Ugandan activist had been tortured while in Tanzanian police custody.
The activists had been detained ahead of court proceedings involving opposition leader Tundu Lissu, a long-time government critic charged with treason. Amnesty International and other rights groups have since called on Tanzanian authorities to investigate the claims of mistreatment.
Gwajima’s political rise and criticism
Elected to Parliament in 2020 after receiving an endorsement from the late President John Magufuli, Gwajima has grown in influence within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. However, he has become increasingly critical of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, accusing her administration of cracking down on dissenters.
His latest clash with the state reflects growing internal fractures within CCM, even as the party remains firmly in control of Tanzanian politics.
Government under scrutiny as elections near
President Hassan initially won praise for lifting a six-year ban on political rallies imposed by Magufuli, and for signalling a more open approach to governance. But that tone has shifted in recent months, with opposition figures arrested and foreign activists deported ahead of politically sensitive trials.
In a public warning, President Hassan said foreign actors arriving for Lissu’s court case would not be allowed to ‘destroy’ the country—language widely interpreted as a signal to tighten the space for external scrutiny.
Rights groups call for transparency
The deportation of foreign activists and the closure of Gwajima’s church have intensified fears of a shrinking civic space as the country prepares for elections. The opposition party Chadema continues to call for electoral reforms, warning that without them, the integrity of the vote will be compromised.
Organisations like Amnesty International have urged the government to investigate claims of torture, respect freedom of expression, and ensure a safe environment for political participation and human rights advocacy.
With polls just months away, and tensions mounting, the deregistration of Gwajima’s church adds another layer of political volatility to Tanzania’s election landscape.
