President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan graces the installation ceremony of Dr. Alex Gehaz Malasusa as the newly elected Head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT). The momentous event took place at the historic Azania Front Church in Dar es Salaam on January 20, 2024.
By Adonis Byemelwa
A storm is brewing within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Karagwe Diocese, as Ngara Parish finds itself mired in allegations of financial mismanagement and leadership failures.
The crisis, which has pitted church leaders against an increasingly vocal congregation, centres on the ownership and revenue generated from properties built during the 1994 Rwandan refugee crisis.
Worshippers are growing restless, demanding transparency over rental income from buildings initially constructed by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) to support humanitarian efforts.
A key point of contention is the apparent failure of the Tanzania Christian Refugee Services (TCRS) to hand over all agreed-upon infrastructure to the church. Tenants of these properties remain tight-lipped about their transactions, and questions linger over who collects the rent.
Further complicating matters, an alleged covert attempt to transfer ownership of the Ngara Mjini Lutheran churchyard to TCRS was blocked at the district land office after being deemed illegal.
A congregant familiar with the issue remarked, “It is unacceptable for church property to be secretly transferred. Worshippers have a right to know what is happening.”
At the height of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, LWF sought land for refugee services, intending to establish operations on Lutheran-owned property.
Nevertheless, at the time, the Lutheran Church had a limited presence in Ngara, whereas the Anglican Church was well-established. Unbeknownst to LWF, their facilities were erected on Anglican land.
One congregant recounted, “Back then, we had no strong Lutheran foundation in Ngara. The Anglicans dominated, while we worshipped in a small business house owned by the church through a German-Ngara partnership. LWF assumed they were building on Lutheran land, but it was Anglican territory.”
The land dispute led to a major fallout. Once the Anglican Church realised the properties were built on their land, they demanded the Lutherans vacate or demolish the structures. Former Bishop Nelson Kazooba ultimately ceded ownership, allowing the Anglicans to retain the buildings.
To resolve the issue, LWF later allocated a new site within legally acquired Lutheran territory, permitting the construction of additional buildings, including offices and warehouses. However, since LWF officially handed over the properties, it remains unclear who benefits from the rental income, sparking unrest among congregants.
Repeated appeals for financial transparency have gone unanswered. The Bishop of Karagwe Diocese, Dr Benson Kalikawe Bagonza, dismissed the concerns, stating, “Who exactly is accusing us? Can they produce a letter that was ignored? To my knowledge, these houses belong to TCRS, not the Diocese, even though they sit on church land. TCRS operates under the Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT), not Karagwe Diocese.”
Bagonza further insisted, “The Diocese neither collects rent from TCRS nor receives any income from these properties. Even if it did, such funds would not belong to Ngara Parish.”
A letter dated 3 February 2022, bearing reference REF/MY/ELCT/NG/2022/1, surfaced, showing that a congregant had sought a meeting with Bishop Bagonza regarding the TCRS houses and their rental proceeds. “I am asking to meet the Bishop during the choir concert to ease my heart over the concerns surrounding the TCRS houses,” it read.
Under the ELCT constitution, congregants are entitled to full disclosure of church revenue and asset management, a right that aligns with Article 8 of Tanzania’s Constitution, which upholds public accountability. Many now question whether Bishop Bagonza has personally benefited from the church’s assets, given his reluctance to engage with these growing concerns.
“This is no longer just about money; it is about integrity,” an elder voiced. “How can a man of God ignore the pleas of his congregation?”
Former Ngara Parish Pastor Jackson Kanyiginya, in a letter reference REF YM/KKKT/2023/001, expressed readiness to support efforts ensuring the proper use of TCRS properties for the benefit of the wider church rather than a select few.
Calls are mounting for the Diocese to replace the current parish leadership with individuals committed to strengthening the church community financially. “We need someone who genuinely has the church at heart, not someone treating it like a personal enterprise,” one churchgoer said.
The tensions took a shocking turn when a tenant, who had accumulated significant rent arrears, allegedly retaliated against a pastor attempting to collect payment by dousing him with urine. “What kind of church allows its clergy to be humiliated like this? Where does the rent money go, and who is profiting from it?” a dismayed congregant asked.
Many members of the ELCT lament what they see as a decline in integrity among today’s leadership. Some nostalgically recall past bishops such as Nelson Kazooba, Paul Mkuta, and Samson Mushemba, praising them for their transparency and commitment to the church’s mission. “Leaders like Kazooba and Mkuta always put the church first,” remarked one elder. “This digital-era leadership seems to be eroding trust and disregarding the church’s constitution.”
Even former United Evangelical Mission (UEM) Secretary-General Dr Fidon Mwombeki once condemned financial corruption within the church, warning of its destructive consequences in a 2007 keynote address.
As tensions continue to rise, pressure mounts for the ELCT to restore accountability and ensure that church assets serve the congregation as intended, not the interests of a privileged few.
