ELCT Press Release

Date: November 7, 2007
Press release No. 002/11/2007

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Kikwete to witness Installation of Presiding Bishop

The President of Tanzania Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete is expected to be guest of
honour at a ceremony to instal Bishop Alex Gehaz Malasusa to become the new
Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) on
Sunday November 11.

The special service to be held at the Azania Front Cathedral, in Dar es
Salaam will be presided over by the retired Bishop Dr. Samson Mushemba
assisted by Bishops from the ELCT Dioceses, among others.

Thousands of people from within and outside the country are expected to
attend the installation ceremony that will get live coverage by the ELCT
Eastern and Coastal Diocese Upendo Radio Station based in Dar es Salaam.

Also at the ceremony, the leadership of the Church will take the
opportunity to bid farewell to Bishop Mushemba who has served as presiding
bishop of ELCT since 1992. Bishop Malasusa was elected by the ELCT Assembly
held on Julai 18, 2007 at Makumira, Arusha to become the ELCT Presiding
Bishop for the next four years.

Bishop Malasusa who is also the Bishop of ELCT Eastern and Coastal Diocese
was born 18 June, 1960 Bishop Malasusa who hails from Rungwe, Mbeya region
is a son of a pastor and the youngest Presiding Bishops so far. Apart from
Mushemba (1992 - 2007) others were the late Bishop Dr. Sebastian Kolowa
(1976 - 1992) and the late Bishop Stephano Moshi (1963-1976).

Bishop Malasusa who is a holder of Bachelor of Divinity Degree from the
Makumira University College became pastor in 1992 and was consecrated
Bishop of the Eastern and Coastal Diocese based in Dar es Salaam on 17
April, 2004. Makumira is a constituent college of Tumaini University owned
by the ELCT.

Bishop Malasusa is taking Masters of Theology studies by extension at the
Catholic Theology College in Nairobi, Kenya. He is married and has three
children

ELCT with about 3.5 million members is the second largest Church in
Tanzania after the Roman Catholic with 10 million members out of a
population of about 35 million people.

Issued by:
Office of the ELCT Secretary General.

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For more information contact:

Elizabeth Lobulu
Communication Desk Officer, ELCT
E-mail: ELobulu@elct.or.tz