Mwinyi apongeza makanisa kwa huduma bora za kijamii nchini

Rais Mstaafu Alhaji Ali Hassan Mwinyi amepongeza makanisa kwa kutoa huduma bora za kijamii nchini na kuwatia moyo watendaji ili kazi hiyo iendelee kwa lengo la kuleta ustawi wa jamii ya Watanzania.

Rais Mwinyi alisema hayo Kata ya Maji ya Chai, Wilayani Arumeru 24 Nov 2016 katika sherehe za miaka 25 ya Tume ya Kikristo ya Huduma za Jamii (CSSC) ambacho ni chombo cha pamoja cha makanisa ya Jumuiya ya Kikristo Tanzania (CCT) na Baraza la Maaskofu (TEC).

[See top pictures below.]

Aliwapongeza waasisi wa chombo hicho kwa maono ya kuundwa kwa chombo hicho ambacho kimsingi kinaleta pamoja kwa kuratibu na kusimamia ubora wa huduma za elimu na afya kwa ubia na Serikali.

Mzee Mwinyi ambaye alikuwa amefuatana na mkwewe Mama Sitti Mwinyi, kuhusu afya, akinukuu Biblia Luka 10: 34 na kusema anatambua kuwa wakristo wanaitikia wito wa Yesu wa kuwahudumia wana jamii na kuhusu elimu alinukuu Mithali 4: 13.

Alhaji Mwinyi alisema Korani haikatazi waislamu na wakristo kushirikiana wala kupokea huduma za kijamii zinazotolewa na wakristo. Alisema alipokuwa Rais, aliidhinisha mkataba baada ya kugundua kwamba malengo ya viongozi wa Serikali na yale ya viongozi wa Kikristo katika kuihudumia jamii yanafanana.

Katika sherehe hiyo pamoja na mambo mengine Rais Mwinyi alifungua rasmi jengo jipya la CSSC Kanda ya Kaskazini baada ya jengo hilo kuwekwa wakfu na Rais wa CSSC, Askofu Dkt. Alex Malasusa ambaye pia ni Askofu wa KKKT Dayosisi ya Mashariki na Pwani.

Akimkaribisha mgeni rasmi kuhutubia umati uliokuwepo, Askofu Dkt. Malasusa, alishukuru Serikali kwa ushirikiano na kwa ubia uliopo kwa kutoa raslimali fedha na watumishi kwa ajili ya kusaidia kuendesha hospitali za Kanisa.

Askofu Dkt Malasusa alisema makanisa yataendeleza huduma za kijamii nchini kwani ni sehemu ya Ibada kwani wakristo wanatekeleza wito wao wa kumhudumia mwanadamu kwa ukamilifu: kiroho, kimwili na kiakili.

Maaskofu kutoka KKKT, Kanisa Katoliki, Kanisa la Anglikana, Kanisa la Mungu, na Kanisa la Menonnite toka Ukanda wa Kaskazini yaani Mikoa ya Manyara, Arusha na Kilimanjaro walishuhudia Mkuu wa KKKT, Askofu Dkt. Fredrick Shoo, akiweka saini hati ya kuhamisha Kampuni ya Misioni ya Kusambaza Madawa na Vifaa Tiba (MEMS) iliyokuwa chini ya KKKT kwenda CSSC. Viongozi wa Idara na watendaji makanisa hayo na kutoka CCT na CSSS pia walihudhuria kwa wingi katika tukio hilo.

Kwa niaba ya waanzilishi wa CSSC, Askofu Mkuu wa Jimbo Katoliki la Arusha Mhashamu Josephat L. Lebulu alisema wazo la kuwa na CSSC lilikuwa tangu miaka mingi ambapo makanisa ya Tanganyika yaliunda Tanganyika Christian Medical Board (TCMB) na baadaye Christian Education Board of Tanganyika (CEBT) kwa kushirikiana na makanisa ya Ujeumani.

Waasisi wa CSSC ambao ni pamoja na Askofu Lebulu na Askofu Mstaafu wa KKKT Dayosisi ya Kaskazini, Dkt. Erasto Kweka, walianza mchakato kwa kuwasiliana na Rais Mwinyi alipokuwa kiongozi wa Awamu ya Pili; ndipo hatimaye mwaka 1992 chombo hicho kikaanza kwa kuunganisha kazi zilizofanywa na bodi zile mbili TCMB na CEBT.

Askofu Lebulu alisema “tuliona tuunganishe nguvu kwa kuanzisha chombo kitakachopanga kwa pamoja, kupanua na kuboresha utoaji huduma za afya na elimu kwa kuwa katika matatizo kama ugonjwa, hakuna malaria ya kikatoliki, ya kilutheri au ya kiislamu,” alisema.

Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa CSSS, Bw. Peter Maduki, alisema CSSC ina kanda tano nchini yaani Kanda ya Kaskazini; Kanda ya Ziwa; Kanda ya Magharibi; Kanda ya Mashariki na Kanda ya Kusini.

Alisema kwa pamoja katika sekta ya elimu makanisa yanamiliki taasisi za elimu 691 na kati ya hizo kuna vyuo vikuu tisa; vyuo vikuu vishiriki 19; vyuo vya ufundi stadi 126; vyuo vya ualimu 14; shule za sekondari 362 na shule za msingi 161.

Pia makanisa nchini yanamiliki hospitali 102 ambapo kati ya hizo mbili ni hospitali za kanda, hospitali teule za Wilaya 38; hospitali 62 zinatoa huduma katika hospitali mbalimbali; vituo vya afya 102; zahanati 3,987; Vyuo vya mafunzo ya watumishi wa afya ngazi ya elimu ya juu na ya kati; chuo kikuu kimoja na vyuo vikuu vishiriki vitatu vya tiba.

Kwa niaba ya wawakilishi kutoka kanda mbalimbali, Askofu Dkt. Benson Bagonza, kutoka KKKT Dayosisi ya Karagwe ambaye ni Mwenyekiti wa Kanda ya Ziwa CSSC, alipongeza juhudi za Kanda ya Kaskazini zilizowezesha kukamilisha ujenzi wa jengo la kanda hiyo. Alisema jengo hilo lililojengwa kwa ushirikiano wa makanisa yote ni alama muhimu ya umoja na ukamilifu wa wito wetu wa kumtumikia mwanadamu.

Alimshukuru Rais Mstaafu kwa kupokea maono ya kuwa na chombo kama CSSC na kukubali kianzishwe chini ya uongozi wake.

Askofu Rogath Kimaryo wa Jimbo Katoliki la Same, Mwenyekiti wa Kanda ya Kaskazini CSSC, alitoa wito vituo va kanisa na hospitali za kanisa viwe mahali pa kuhudumia watu kwa huruma, upendo na kuwapa wagonjwa matumaini ili waweze kupona.

Askofu Kimaryo aliomba Serikali iweze kuendelea kutoa ushirikiano kwa makanisa kupita CSSC kwa kuheshimu makubaliano yake na makanisa ili kuwa suluhu ya changamoto katika sekta ya afya na elimu nchini.

Pia aliwakaribisha na kumshukuru Rais Mstaafu na wote waliohudhuria kwani mahudhurio yao ndio yaliyofanikisha sherehe ya jubilii ya miaka 25 ya CSSC.

Mwinyi commends churches for providing quality social services in the country

The former President Alhaji Ali Hassan Mwinyi has commended churches for providing high quality service in education and health sectors in the country and encouraged service providers to continue doing so for the improvement of social welfare of the Tanzanian society.

President Mwinyi said this at Maji ya Chai Ward, Arumeru District 24 Nov 2016 during a celebration to mark the 25th anniversary of the Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC) a joint organ created by churches under the Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT) and the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC).

He congratulated the founders of CSSC for having the vision that has materialized in forming an organ that will among other things bring together, coordinate and supervise the provision of quality services in education and health sectors in collaboration and partnership with the Government.

Accompanied by his wife Sitti Mwinyi, he read a verse from the Bible Luke 10: 34 saying he recognises that Christians were obliged to fulfil Jesus calling to serve the community and quoted also Proverbs 4: 13 to emphasize the importance of educating people.

Alhaji Mwinyi recited the Koran saying that it does not forbid Muslims from collaborating with Christians nor does it forbid them from utilizing services offered by Christians. He also said during his tenure as President, he endorsed the document when he realised that the goals of the both Government and Church leaders in serving the society were mutual.

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During the ceremony, among other things, President Mwinyi inaugurated the CSSC Northern Zone building soon after it was consecrated by Bishop Dr. Alex Malasusa who is the President of CSSC and the Bishop of ELCT Eastern and Coastal Diocese.

While welcoming the guest of honour to address those in attendance, Bishop Dr. Malasusa thanked the Government for cooperating and being in partnership with the churches by providing financial and personnel support to hospitals run by the churches in Tanzania.

Bishop Dr. Malasusa said the churches will extend social services in the country because it is part of their calling to serve man in a holistic manner spiritually, physically and mentally.

Bishops from the ELCT, Catholic Church, Anglican Church in Tanzania, the Church of God and the Mennonite Church in Tanzania from Manyara, Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions were in attendance to witness the ELCT Presiding Bishop Dr. Fredrick Shoo signing a document to hand over the Mission for Essential Medical Supplies (MEMS) company from ELCT to operate under CSSC. The ceremony was also attended by leaders and heads of departments of the churches, of CCT and CSSC.

Seaking on behalf of the founders of CSSC, the Most Rev. Archbishop Josephat L. Lebulu of Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha said the idea of creating such an organ came from the time churches in Tanganyika formed Christian Medical Board (TCMB) and Christian Education Board of Tanganyika (CEBT) in collaboration with churches in Germany.

The founders who include Bishop Lebulu and retired ELCT Bishop Dr. Erasto Kweka of Northern Diocese initiated the process by communicating with the President Mwinyi who was leading the Second phase Govenment; and ultimately in 1992 CSSC was created by merging TCMB and CEBT.

Archbishop Lebulu said “realised the imporance of joining forces by creating an organs so that we could plan jointly in order to improve service delivery in health and education sectors since malaria is malaria there is no differentiation between malaria afflicting a Catholic, a Lutheran or a Muslim”.

The Executive Director of CSSC, Mr. Peter Maduki, said CSSC was divided into five zone: Northen Zone; Lake Zone; Western Zone; Eastern and Southern Zone.

He said in the education sector all the churches together own 691 institutions out of which there are nine univesities; 19 constituent colleges; 126 Technical Training College; 14 Teachers Training Colleges; 362 Secondary Schools and 161 Primary Schools.

The Churches in the country own 102 hospitals out of which two are zonal hospials; 38 District Designated Hospitals; 62 hospitals offering services in various areas 102 health centres; 3,987 dispensaries; a number of training institutions offering training to health/ medical personnel at higher and middle level; One University and three constituent colleges offering medical training.

On behalf of representatives from the zone, Bishop Dr. Benson Bagonza from ELCT Karagwe Diocese who is the Chairman of CSSC Lake Zone, congratulated the Northern Zone for being able to complete the construction of the office. He said the building contructed through the cooperation of all the churches symbolises the cooperation and the fulfilment of our call to serve man holistically.

He thanked the retired President for aligning the vision of the church and that of the Government and endorsed the creation of CSSC under his leadership.

Bishop Rogath Kimaryo of Catholic Diocese of Same, the Chairman of CSSC Northern Zone, called upon