WCC NEWS: Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania condemns post-election violence, announces week of prayers

As Tanzania wrestles with the aftermath of the deadly anti-election protests, the country’s Evangelical Lutheran Church has condemned the violence, which left behind a trail of pain, death, and destruction. Sunday service gathers several hundred congregants in the Moshi Lutheran Cathedral, in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania’s northern diocese. Photo: Albin Hillert/Life on Earth pictures 13 November 2025 Rev. Dr Alex Gehaz Malasusa, presiding bishop of the over 6 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, said the church was saddened and distressed by the occurrences, which compromised the people's dignity, respect, and human value. “We all remember that on that day and the following days, our country went through a difficult situation that had never occurred before in its history,” said Malasusa, in a statement on 12 November. “There were riots that caused loss of life, injuries and the destruction of public and private property. There is no sufficient reason to explain the loss of life and destruction of property.” The presiding bishop expressed the denomination’s condolences for the deaths and prayers for the disappearances and destruction of property. He was joining other churches – including Roman Catholic bishops – in condemning the violence and the government's brutal response to the protests. The demonstrations – led by Gen-Z or Youth – were triggered in the city of Dar es Salam on 29 October, before spreading to other cities and towns across the country. Allegedly inspired by the global Gen-Z uprisings against authoritarian and unresponsive governments, the Tanzanian youth were reportedly protesting against concerns including election irregularities, extrajudicial killings, arrest of opposition party leaders, and police harassment.   But nearly two weeks after the violence, the government has not released the official figure of the death toll, but human rights groups say thousands were killed in the nearly one week of violence. The rights groups and the churches say most of the people died, after either being shot in the head or on the chest. Some were chased and shot at home, according to church leaders. “The punishment for demonstrations is not death through the bullet,” warned Catholic Archbishop Jude Thaddeaus Ruwa’ichi of Dar es Salaam, who was speaking at a memorial mass of victims on 10 November. Malasusa regretted that some families were yet to find relatives who were killed during the riots for burial, according to their social and religious traditions. “This situation has left various families in a deep state of grief and indescribable sorrow,” he said. As a response to the post-election crisis, the denomination has called for a week of national prayer, from 16-23 November. On 17 November, congregations – led by women – will pray for families who lost members. On 18 November, led by youth, the denomination will pray for the injured and on 19 November, men will lead prayers for leaders and the government. The choirs and fellowship groups will also lead some of the prayers, which will culminate in thanksgiving on 23 November. At the same time, the denomination called on the government to listen and address citizens' grievances in a way that builds national unity and social cohesion, and to give justice to those who died or were affected. “The church reminds that the use of excessive force against anyone cannot bring blessings, and the word of God warns that the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God,” said Malasusa. WCC expresses deep concern over violence following elections in Tanzania World Council of Churches Statement on the Post-Election Violence and Use of Lethal Force in Tanzania WCC member churches in Tanzania See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland