SINGIDA: PRIME Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba has pledged sustained government support for religious freedom, saying faith-based institutions remain central to shaping national ethics, social stability, and development outcomes.
He spoke during a service at the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) Kiomboi Christian Centre in Iramba District, Singida Region, where he joined worshippers led by Bishop Dr Danford Obadia and Senior Pastor Yona Suleman Essya.
Nchemba said the government would maintain what he described as a “protective and enabling space” for religious organisations, stressing their influence in reinforcing civic discipline and social harmony across communities.
He praised TAG for what he called a “tangible societal footprint,” noting that the church has contributed to public enlightenment, challenged entrenched misconceptions, and reinforced accepted moral frameworks.
According to him, the institution has extended its influence beyond worship services, actively reshaping social attitudes and encouraging the abandonment of practices considered obstructive to development.
“The church has gone beyond the sanctuary,” he said. “It has played a part in reshaping everyday conduct and dismantling certain traditional beliefs that slowed social and economic progress.”
The Prime Minister further warned against behaviours he said undermine human dignity and national development, insisting that such actions were incompatible with the country’s aspirations for progress.
He also urged citizens to respect the sanctity of places of worship and avoid drawing them into partisan activity, cautioning that such interference risks eroding their core spiritual mandate.
“Those who seek political engagement should form political parties,” he said. “Churches must remain spaces of reverence, not arenas of political contestation.”