KRISMASI NI ESCROW KILA KONA!

Askofu Mkuu wa Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri Tanzania (KKKT) Dk Alex Malasusa

akimbariki mtoto baada ya kumalizika kwa ibaada ya Krismasi iliyofanyika katika

Usharika wa Azania Front, Dar es Salaam.

Dar/mikoani. Kashfa ya uchotaji wa fedha katika Akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow inayoendelea kulitingisha Taifa, jana ilitawala mahubiri ya Sikukuu ya Krismasi katika makanisa mbalimbali nchini, viongozi wa dini wakionyesha kutoridhishwa na maelezo na hatua zinazochukuliwa. Wakihutubia waumini wao, viongozi hao walitumia siku hiyo kukemea vitendo vya ufisadi, wizi na uzembe.

 

Hofu ya Escrow

Ujumbe wa Askofu wa Dayosisi ya Central Tanganyika (DCT) wa Kanisa la Anglikana, Dk Dickson Chilongani ulilenga kueleza hofu ya wananchi kutokana na sakata la Akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow, ugumu wa maisha, ukosefu wa ajira, kukosa uhakika wa huduma bora za matibabu na elimu pamoja na wimbi la viongozi waandamizi wasiokuwa waaminifu na waadilifu.

Akihubiri katika Kanisa Kuu la Roho Mtakatifu mjini Dodoma, Askofu Chilongani alisema mbali na maisha ya ufukara na ukosefu wa huduma, sakata la Escrow na hotuba ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete aliyoitoa Jumatatu vimezidi kuzidisha hofu kwa Watanzania na kuwafanya waonekane kama hawana tumaini.

Akitumia mtindo wa kuhoji, Askofu Chilongani alianza kwa kuhoji, “Kitu gani kinakutia hofu unaposherekea sikukuu hii, watu wengi tunaishi katika ulimwengu wa hofu kutokana na ufukara, ukosefu wa huduma, tunajiuliza tutawasomeshaje watoto wetu, tutapataje huduma bora za matibabu, yaani kila mmoja wetu ana hofu,” alisema.

Askofu Dk Chilongani alisema ingawa kila mtu ana hofu yake lakini sakata la akaunti ya Escrow limejenga hofu kwa mwananchi, kila mmoja akihoji na kutengeneza majibu yake jambo linalotoa picha kuwa jibu sahihi halijatolewa au kupatikana.

“Mimi siyo mwanasiasa wala mtaalamu wa masuala ya siasa lakini kuna hili sakata la Escrow ambalo juzijuzi Rais amelitolea ufafanuzi, hili nalo linazidi kuwajengea wananchi hofu, wengine wanakosoa maazimio ya Bunge, wengine wanataka Serikali itoe maamuzi yenye tija kwa umma, yaani ni hofu tu,” alisema.

Escrow ni fedha za umma

Mchungaji wa Kanisa la Maombezi, Anthony Lusekelo alisisitizia kuwa fedha zilizochotwa katika Akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow ni mali ya umma kutokana na taarifa iliyowasilishwa na PAC bungeni.

Kauli hiyo inakuja baada ya Rais Kikwete kusema fedha hizo ni mali Kampuni ya IPTL na zilikuwa Sh202 bilioni na si Sh306 bilioni kama inavyodaiwa.

Akihubiri katika kanisa hilo jana, Lusekelo maarufu kama ‘Mzee wa Upako’ alisema: “Niliisikiliza kwa makini mwanzo hadi mwisho (hotuba ya Rais) leo nimeona niseme machache kwamba fedha hizo ni mali ya umma. Mimi siungani na hao wanaodai fedha hizi siyo za umma lakini kwa hali hii hakuna jinsi inabidi tumwachie Mungu maana yeye ndiye atakayeweza kutuvusha kutoka hapa tulipo,” alisema.

Padri: Viongozi wa dini waliotajwa wajipime

Paroko wa Parokia ya Mugumu, Serengeti, Padri Aloisi Magabe amesema viongozi wa dini ambao wametajwa kuhusika na fedha kwenye Akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow wanatakiwa kujipima kwa kuwa maadhimisho ya Krismasi yana maana kubwa, hivyo kuwa sehemu ya watu wanaotuhumiwa si jambo jema.

Akihutubia katika ibada ya Krismasi, Padri Magabe alisema vitendo hivyo vinazidi kushika kasi lakini hatua hazichukuliwi.

Alisema ufisadi ulijichomoza kwa nguvu kwenye Richmond, Epa na sasa Escrow, huku viongozi wa dini wakihusika, hatua ambayo ni hatari huku akisema juhudi za kuwashughulikia wahusika huchukua muda mrefu, chanzo kikiwa ni kulindana na rushwa. “Sina hofu ya kusema waziwazi matukio kama hayo, nimefuatilia magazeti jinsi wanavyojitetea, bado kuna haja ya kuwa wazi zaidi, maana nchi yetu ni ya haki na usawa, tutaupataje usawa kwa ‘skendo’ kama hizi?”

Askofu Mkude: Nina imani kubwa na JK

Askofu wa Jimbo la Morogoro, Telesphol Mkude amesema ana imani kubwa na Rais Kikwete kwa namna anavyolishughulikia suala la kuwajibisha waliotajwa katika sakata la Tegeta Escow na kuwaomba Watanzania kumpa muda wa kutosha ili aweze kuendelea kutoa uamuzi ulio sahihi.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari mjini hapa katika ofisi ndogo ya Kanisa Kuu la Mt Patrick, Mkude alisema suala la Escrow limepita katika mchakato mrefu na baadhi ya wameanza kuchukuliwa hatua, wakiwamo Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali, Jaji Frederick Werema aliyejiuzulu na Waziri wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo Makazi, Profesa Anna Tibaijuka aliyefukuzwa.

“Haya mambo yanaenda na uchunguzi, sidhani kama Rais anaweza kutoa uamuzi pasipo kujiridhisha, pamoja na kuwapo kamati iliyojiridhisha na uchunguzi na kubaini uchotaji wa fedha za umma, lakini na yeye kwa nafasi yake anapaswa kujiridhisha kupitia jopo lake,” alisema Askofu Mkude.

Hofu ya Mungu na ufisadi

Hofu ya Mungu imeelezwa kuwa ndiyo pekee itakayoondoa wizi na ufisadi miongoni mwa viongozi na watendaji badala ya kutegemea sheria pekee.

Hayo yalisemwa jana na Askofu Mkuu wa Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri Tanzania (KKKT), Dk Alex Malasusa wakati akihubiri katika ibada ya Krismasi katika Kanisa la Azania Front, jijini Dar es Salaam.

Kauli hiyo inafanana na ile iliyotolewa na Mchungaji Kiongozi wa Kanisa la Gloryland International la jijini Tanga, Manase Maganga. Malasusa alisema kutokuwapo kwa hofu ya Mungu miongoni mwa Watanzania, ndiyo sababu ya kuongezeka kwa vitendo vya ufisadi.

“Wakristo tunahitaji kusimama kwa ujasiri na kukemea mabaya yote katika jamii yetu hata kama yanafanywa na marafiki zetu kwa kuwa neno linatuagiza kufanya hivyo. Bwana anasema ‘woga ni dhambi’, hivyo tuwe makini ili kuepuka dhambi hii yenye madhara kwa watu wengi katika Taifa hili,” alisisitiza Dk Malasusa.

KARDINALI PENGO: KUSTAAFU BAADA YA MIAKA MITANO IJAYO!

Askofu Mkuu wa Jimbo Kuu la Dar es Salaam,

Kardinali Polycarp Pengo

“Najua wengine wanashangaa kuona askofu wao akitembea namna hii, kwa mkongojo, hivi ndivyo ilivyo, nilikuwa mgonjwa, lakini nawashukuruni nyote kwa kuniombea, Mwenyezi Mungu awabariki,”

Alisema kiongozi huyo na kuibua vifijo kutoka kwa mamia ya waumini walioshiriki misa hiyo.

Dar Es Salaam. Askofu Mkuu wa Jimbo Kuu la Dar es Salaam, Kardinali Polycarp Pengo amesema waumini wa kanisa hilo hawana sababu ya kuingiwa wasiwasi kuhusu hali yake kiafya kwa kuwa anastaafu miaka mitano ijayo.

Akihubiri katika ibada maalumu ya misa iliyoandaliwa na Utume wa Wanaume Katoliki (Uwaka) jimboni humo juzi, Kardinali Pengo mwenye umri wa miaka 70 alieleza kuwa anajiandaa kustaafu kisheria, jambo ambalo halina sababu ya kuwaweka roho juu waumini.

Katika mahubiri yake ya muda mfupi kwenye misa hiyo iliyofanyika Kituo cha Kiroho Mbagala, Dar es Salaam juzi Kardinali Pengo alitumia muda huo kuzungumzia afya yake, akisema kwa muda sasa amekuwa haonekani hadharani kutokana na kuumwa.

Hata hivyo, bila kutaja aina ya ugonjwa uliokuwa ukimsumbua, Kardinali Pengo ambaye Machi mwaka huu aliadhimisha miaka 30 ya uaskofu na wakati ule ilielezwa kuwa alikuwa mgonjwa asiyetakiwa kusafiri umbali mrefu, alitumia muda huo juzi kuwashukuru waumini wa kanisa hilo na Watanzania kwa jumla kwa maombi yao wakati wote alipokuwa akiumwa.

“Wapo watu wengi walikuwa na wasiwasi kuhusu hali yangu, wengine si Wakristo, walinipigia simu wakinijulia hali. Nawashukuru wote kwa kuniombea, sasa nimepata nafuu.

 

“Najua wengine wanashangaa kuona askofu wao akitembea namna hii, kwa mkongojo, hivi ndivyo ilivyo, nilikuwa mgonjwa, lakini nawashukuruni nyote kwa kuniombea, Mwenyezi Mungu awabariki,” alisema kiongozi huyo na kuibua vifijo kutoka kwa mamia ya waumini walioshiriki misa hiyo.

Tofauti na kawaida yake ya kuzungumzia mambo mengi katika jamii kwa kujiamini, katika misa hiyo juzi, kiongozi huyo alitumia mahubiri yake kueleza kuwa kanisa hilo ni taasisi iliyo imara na ambayo hata akiondoka katika uongozi, atapatikana mwingine bila kuvuruga misingi iliyopo.

“Hata kama afya yangu isingetetereka, nimebakisha miaka mitano, nitastaafu, lakini hakuna sababu ya msingi ya waumini kuanza kuingiwa hofu yoyote kuhusu ni nani atarithi nafasi yangu. Sisi (kanisa) tunao mfumo imara wa kupata viongozi wetu.”

Pia, Kardinali Pengo alikemea migawanyiko ambayo alisema imeanza kujitokeza katika baadhi ya parokia za jimbo hilo, akisema haikubaliki.

“Nimesikia minong’ono kuwa baadhi ya parokia, zipo nyingine zinajitangaza kuwa ni za mashirika ya kitawa, sikubali, sitaki kuona hili likitokea, mwenye mamlaka kusimamia parokia zote ni askofu, ni mimi,”alisema.

PAPA AMEAGIZA UCHUNGUZI WA HARAKA MLIPUKO WA BOMU ARUSHA

Askofu Francisco Montecillo Padilla,(kushoto) akisalimana na Makamu wa Raisi Dkt Mohamed Gharib Bilal hivi karibuni jijini Arusha

OFISI ya Kiongozi wa Kanisa Katoliki Duniani Papa Francis Jorge Mario imepokea taarifa za Kanisa Katoliki Parokia ya Ollasiti kulipuliwa na bomu nchini Tanznaia na kuiagiza serikali kutoa taarifa za uchunguzi wa suala hilo haraka.

Taarifa zilizonaswa na wandishi wetu kutoka vyanzo vya kuaminika ndani ya kanisa hilo jijini Dar es Salaam zinadai kwamba Papa Mario ameagiza serikali kutoa taarifa za uchunguzi wa suala hilo haraka.

Papa Mario amepokea taarifa hizo ambazo zilitangazwa na Rais Jakaya Kikwete kwamba ni tukio la kigaidi, huku watu watatu wakiuawa na wengine zaidi ya 70 kujeruhiwa katika tukio hilo.

Akizungumza na Redio Vatican pamoja na mitandao ya kijamii inayomilikiwa na Kanisa hilo kubwa Duniani, mwakilishi wa Papa huyo Francisco Montecillo Padilla alisema kwamba tukio hilo halikutarajiwa kabisa kwa sababu muda wote kulikuwa na hali ya utulivu na amani kanisani hapo.

"Nilipata mshtuko baada ya kusikia mlipuko wa bomu hilo, na sekunde chache nikaona majeruhi wengi wamelala chini, nikapatwa na wasi wasi huku nikiwaonea huruma majeruhi wasiokuwa na hatia lakini Askari Polisi waliwahi kunichukuwa na kunipeleka sehemu iliyotulia kwa usalama zaidi"alisema Askofu Montecillo Padilla.

Hata hivyo taarifa zaidi zinasema kwamba Ofisi ya Papa Francis tayari imeiagiza Serikali ya Tanzania kuhakikisha inakamilisha uchunguzi wa suala hilo haraka, huku pia ikionyesha nia ya kutoa msaada zaidi kwa serikali katika uchunguzi wake. Hata hivyo Ofisi ya Kiongozi huyo tayari imesha agiza Kikosi cha upelelezi cha kimataifa kutoka nchini Marekani FBI kuja nchini kuongeza nguvu katika upelelezi wa tukio hilo,tukio la aina hiyo halikuwahi kutokea nchini Tanzania, ila liliwahi kutokea katika nchi jirani ya Kenya.

POPE FRANCIS I ELECTED AS 266TH ROMAN CATHOLIC PONTIFF

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio takes name of Francis after accepting his election as 266th head of Roman Catholic Church

The cardinals of the Roman Catholic church on Wednesday chose as their new pope a man from almost "the end of the world" – the first non-European to be elected for almost 1,300 years and the first-ever member of the Jesuit order.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, becomes Pope Francis – the first pontiff to take that name – an early indication perhaps of a reign he hopes will be marked by inspirational preaching and evangelization.

But the cardinals' choice risked running into immediate controversy over the new pope's role in Argentina's troubled history. In his book, El Silencio, a prominent Argentinian journalist alleged that he connived in the abduction of two Jesuit priests by the military junta in the so-called "dirty war". He denies the accusation.

The new pope appeared on the balcony over the entrance to St Peter's basilica more than an hour after white smoke poured from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, signalling that the cardinals had made their choice. Dressed in his new white robes, the bespectacled Argentinian prelate looked pensive and perhaps a little intimidated as he looked out at the sea of jubilant humanity in the square.

The former Cardinal Bergoglio was not among the front-runners. But he obtained more votes than any other candidate except former pope Benedict in the 2005 conclave, and – although his election came as a surprise – he was certainly not a rank outsider.

According to some accounts, he was not chosen eight years ago because he begged his fellow cardinals not to continue voting for him. As he uttered his first words – "buona sera" – and the cheering died away, he told the crowd that his peers had been tasked with finding a bishop of Rome. "And it seems that they went almost to the end of the world to find him. But we're here," he said with a smile.

After a prayer for his predecessor, Benedict XVI, the new pope invited the faithful in the square to "pray for the entire world". He added: "I hope that this path for the church will be one fruitful for evangelization."

Faced with a sharp choice between those cardinals who wanted a thorough shake-up of the Vatican and those who did not, it appeared the electors in the Sistine Chapel opted for compromise. Bergoglio has a reputation for both political canniness and reforming drive. Among the tests facing the 76-year-old will be the awesome managerial demands of the job.

The fumata bianca – the white smoke signal that marks the successful conclusion of a conclave – arrived after five ballots at the end of the second day of voting. The smoke that poured out of the comignolo, the copper and steel tube on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, was greeted with cries of delight and applause from the crowd below. Soon after, the bells of St Peter's rang out, confirming that a new pope had taken over the spiritual leadership of the world's 1.2 billion baptised Catholics.

Inside the Sistine Chapel after the final vote was cast, the most junior of the cardinals, James Harvey, a former prefect of the papal household, called in the secretary of the college of cardinals, Monsignor Lorenzo Baldisseri, and the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marini, to witness the new pope's acceptance of one of the most daunting jobs on Earth.

The most senior of the electors, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, approached the pope-to-be and – in accordance with tradition – asked him in Latin: "Do you accept your canonical election as supreme pontiff?"

Having obtained his consent, he will have asked: "By what name do you wish to be called?" The master of ceremonies, acting as a notary, will then have summoned two of his staff to act as witnesses, and prepared the document that certifies the new pope's acceptance.

ROME CONCLAVE: CARDINALS TO BEGIN VOTING FOR NEW POPE

Cardinals have entered the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, where they will begin voting to elect a new Pope. The 115 cardinal-electors will be locked in the chapel after swearing an oath of secrecy. They will vote four times daily until two-thirds can agree on a candidate. The election was prompted by the surprise abdication of Benedict XVI. There is no clear frontrunner to take over from him as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The 85-year-old Benedict stepped down last month saying he was no longer strong enough to lead the Church, which is beset by problems ranging from a worldwide scandal over child sex abuse to allegations of corruption at the Vatican bank. 

His resignation and the recent damage to the Church's reputation make the choice of the cardinal-electors especially hard to predict. They will weigh pressure for a powerful manager to reform the Vatican against calls for a new Pope able to inspire the faithful, our correspondent adds.

 

Strict secrecy

On Tuesday morning's, the cardinals attended a "Mass for the Election of the Supreme Pontiff" in St Peter's Basilica. They filed in wearing bright red vestments to the sound of Gregorian chanting.

In his homily, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, praised the "brilliant pontificate" of Pope Benedict and implored God to grant another "Good Shepherd" to lead the church. 

He outlined the mission Catholics believe was given by Jesus Christ to St Peter - the first Pope - emphasizing love and sacrifice, evangelization and the unity of the church. 

The speech was more measured in tone than the address given in 2005 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became Pope Benedict, which featured a fiery attack on the "dictatorship of relativism".

A few hundred people watched the Mass from St Peter's Square on giant screens in thunderstorms and pouring rain.

At 16:30 local time (15:30 GMT), 115 cardinal-electors - all under 80, as those over 80 are excluded - entered the Sistine Chapel for the secret conclave to select Benedict's successor, chanting the traditional Litany of the Saints.

Once they have taken an oath of secrecy, Msgr Guido Marini, papal master of ceremonies, will call out the words "Extra omnes" - "Everybody out" - and the chapel doors will be locked to outsiders.

On Tuesday morning several cardinals took to Twitter to say goodbye to their followers before being cut off from the outside world.

"Last tweet before the conclave: May Our Father hear and answer with love and mercy all prayers and sacrifices offered for a fruitful outcome," South African Cardinal Wilfrid Napier tweeted. 

Jamming devices in the Sistine Chapel should block all electronic communication and anyone tweeting would in any case risk being excommunicated. Benedict - now known as Pope emeritus - resigned on 28 February after eight years in office, citing ill health. He was the first Pope in six centuries to do so.

 

As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2005, he was the marked favourite ahead of the conclave and was elected pope after just four rounds of voting. The vote for his successor is expected to take much longer. After 10 general congregations open to all cardinals, regardless of age - at which 160 cardinals spoke of the issues facing the Church and the qualities needed by its next leader - no clear frontrunner has emerged.

"Last time around there was a man of stature, three or four times that of any other cardinal," French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin told reporters.

"That is not the case this time around. Therefore, the choice has to be made among one, two, three, four... a dozen candidates.

"We still don't really know anything. We will have to wait for the results of the first ballot."

New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan told his priests there was hope that a new Pope could be chosen by Thursday. Candidates named as contenders include Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan, Brazil's Odilo Scherer, and Cardinal Dolan himself - though he told one interviewer anyone who thought he was in with a chance might be "smoking marijuana".

Conclave in numbers

• 115 cardinal-electors
• Two-thirds - or 77 - need to agree on papal candidate
• Four votes per day, two in the morning and two in the evening
• Chosen candidate will be 266th Pope
• He will lead world's 1.2 billion Catholics

Once inside the Sistine Chapel, cardinals will listen to a meditation by elderly Maltese Cardinal Prosper Grech before holding a first vote, after which their ballot papers will be burned. The smoke that will drift out of the chapel's chimney early in the evening is likely to be black - meaning no Pope has been elected.

 

From Wednesday, two votes will be held each morning and afternoon - with ballots burned after each session - until one candidate attains a two-thirds majority (77 votes). Then the smoke will be white, meaning the 266th bishop of Rome will have been chosen.