DAR ES SALAAM: THE Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) has disbanded the Board of Trustees of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Tanzania over alleged property mismanagement and failure to fulfil duties stipulated by law.
RITA Chief Executive Officer Frank Kanyusi told reporters that the decision followed findings of a special report by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG), which was presented to the agency yesterday.
According to Mr Kanyusi, the report established that the board had grossly failed to discharge its statutory responsibilities and had mismanaged church properties.
The special audit was conducted following complaints from church members alleging collective misconduct by board members.
He said the agency acted in accordance with the law, which mandates such action when trustees fail to meet their obligations.
The CAG’s report will also be forwarded to other relevant authorities for further action where necessary.
Mr Kanyusi added that the church has been given seven days to submit to RITA the names of ten members to form an interim committee that will oversee church activities pending the appointment of a new board of trustees.
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Meanwhile, Registrar of Civil Societies in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Kihamba, said his office has received several complaints from church members concerning allegations of embezzlement of church property and failure to submit annual reports.
“The conflicts we see in religious institutions often begin as complaints. If those complaints are not addressed in time, they evolve into formal grievances, and if the grievances remain unresolved, they can escalate into serious conflicts,” Mr Kihamba said.
He warned that unresolved disputes within religious institutions can lead to internal divisions, rifts and ultimately, disturbances to public peace.