Tanzania’s Diocese of Mbeya to Hold Sunday Mass for Victims of Election Violence
The Catholic Diocese of Mbeya has announced that this coming Sunday will be dedicated to prayers for those who lost their lives or were injured during the recent post-election violence that shook the nation. The diocese has called on all parishes, church institutions, and members of the Catholic community to unite in faith, remembrance, and healing.
In an official letter written in Kiswahili, Father Henry Mwalyenga, Chancellor of the Diocese, urged every parish to make this Sunday a time of special devotion marked by compassion and solidarity. He emphasized that the prayers should reflect the spirit of faith, unity, and love as the Church seeks God’s mercy for the departed and strength for those who continue to suffer from the violence.
According to the diocesan circular, the memorial service will take place on Sunday, November 9, 2025, coinciding with the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time in the Church calendar. “All parishes within the Greater Diocese of Mbeya are requested to hold special prayer sessions for our deceased brothers and sisters, as well as for all those injured during the national elections held on October 29, 2025,” the letter stated.
Father Mwalyenga also announced a special Diocesan Mass to be celebrated at Kanisa la Hija, Mwanjelwa Catholic Church in Mbeya at 9:00 a.m. The service will be presided over by the Archbishop and the Auxiliary Bishop, and clergy from surrounding regions, including Mafinga and Mporoto, have been asked to encourage the faithful to attend. “We are all urged to join wholeheartedly in this prayer, invoking God’s mercy on the souls of the departed and praying for the healing of those injured,” Father Mwalyenga wrote. “Let our prayers be filled with faith, unity, and love.”
The call for prayer comes as Tanzania continues to grapple with the aftermath of one of the most violent elections in its recent history. According to a 6 November 2025 report, the country remains deeply unsettled after widespread unrest that followed the October 29 general elections. International observers have questioned the fairness of the vote, citing irregularities and the heavy-handed response of security forces.
The leading opposition party, Chadema, has claimed that hundreds were killed when authorities attempted to disperse protests and riots across several regions. Rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have reported cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial killings. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who succeeded the late President John Magufuli in 2021, officially received more than 97 percent of the vote, though several opposition leaders were barred from contesting.
In this atmosphere of grief and uncertainty, the Diocese of Mbeya hopes the Sunday Mass will serve as a spiritual moment of national reflection. Church leaders say the prayers will not only honor the dead but also renew the call for peace, justice, and reconciliation throughout Tanzania.
