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

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.