Father Kitima has come out strongly in defiance of those who ambushed and attacked him. Those who inflicted him with injuries had forlornly hoped they would silence him. On that account alone, they have miserably failed.
He spoke on twin related issues of the motive of his persecution and the lack of progress in the police investigations to apprehend those who meant him evil.
He reiterated that the church would never be silenced but will continue to rebuke all forms of wickedness notwithstanding the hearers of the gospel’s conduct. Whether the hearers attended to their gospel or not the word of God grounded on the truth would continue to be preached.
He showed very little appetite to discuss police investigations on his attack given the history of the police to quickly convert similar cases into cold ones. His tone suggested his attack has been frozen just like other human rights abuses of Kibao, Chaula, Mdude, Soka and many more. He reminded us that Soka disappeared in the police station, and the police are in denial that he was even there!
Recap of his staunch positions.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – In a powerful act of spiritual defiance, Father Charles Kitima, Secretary-General of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), broke his silence months after surviving a near-fatal assault. His message, delivered from the pulpit and in private conversations, was unambiguous: “The church will never be silenced in the face of evil“.
🔍 The Attack & Its Aftermath.
On April 30, 2025, Father Kitima was ambushed by two assailants in a restroom near his residence at the TEC compound in Dar es Salaam. Struck with a blunt object, he suffered severe head injuries and significant blood loss, requiring urgent hospitalization.
Police later detained one suspect, “Rauli Mahabi” (alias Haraja), but investigations stalled amid allegations of opacity and political interference. Kitima’s return to public ministry—marked by his declaration “God will avenge”—resonated as both a rebuke of his attackers and the state’s inaction .
⚖️ Kitima’s Defiance: Justice Over Silence.
In his first extensive remarks since the attack, Kitima articulated three unwavering convictions:
1. The Church’s Mandate:
He reiterated that the church’s duty is to “denounce evil,” particularly electoral fraud, which he termed “the work of the devil”. He emphasized that this mission would continue “whether the hearers attended to their gospel or not.”
2. Rejection of Intimidation:
Dismissing his attackers’ hopes of silencing him, he framed the assault as a failed attempt to crush moral resistance. “They have miserably failed,” he declared.
3. Distrust in Investigations:
Expressing “very little appetite” to discuss police progress, he alluded to Tanzania’s pattern of freezing human rights cases—citing the unresolved abuses of activists “Kibao, Chaula, and Mdude” as precedents.
❓ Stalled Probes & Political Context.
Kitima’s skepticism aligns with documented irregularities:
– Police initially claimed Mahabi acted alone, yet eyewitnesses reported two attackers fleeing.
– No motive has been established, despite Kitima’s vocal criticism of the government’s crackdown on opposition figures (like treason-charged Tundu Lissu) and demands for electoral reforms.
– Religious leaders, including TEC President Bishop Wolfgang Pisa, questioned police narratives, clarifying that the attack site was a “restaurant, not a bar”—countering implied victim-blaming.
Table: Key Unresolved Attacks on Critics in Tanzania (2024–2025).
| No. | Victim | Role. | Incident. | Investigation Status. |
| 1.0 | Fr. Charles Kitima. | TEC Secretary-General. | Head trauma from blunt object. | 1 suspect held; motive unclear. |
| 2.0 | Tundu Lissu | Opposition Leader (CHADEMA). | Treason charges, arrests | Prosecution ongoing. |
| 3.0 | Kibao, Chaula, Mdude, Soka etc. | Human Rights Activists. | Abductions/assaults. | | Cases “frozen” per civil society. |
🌍 Broader Implications: Church vs. State.
Kitima’s assault occurred amid escalating tensions between religious institutions and President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government:
– The Catholic Church, representing 60% of Tanzanians, has demanded electoral reforms, citing irregularities in the 2024 polls.
– President Samia has repeatedly warned religious leaders to avoid politics, urging them to “focus on promoting peace”.
– Parallel crackdowns on dissenting voices, like Pentecostal Bishop Josephat Gwajima (whose church was raided by police), suggest a systematic suppression of faith-based activism.
💥 Conclusion: The Unbowed Altar.
Father Kitima’s physical wounds have become symbols of a deeper struggle. His refusal to retreat—coupled with the state’s inertia—exposes a nation at a crossroads. As Tanzania approaches its October 2025 elections, his resilience embodies the church’s resolve: “We shall never kneel before evil”. The world now watches whether light will indeed prevail over what Kitima’s ally, lawyer Boniface Mwabukusi, called “a battle of darkness against light”.
> “The word of God grounded on truth will continue to be preached.”
> — Fr. Charles Kitima, July 2025.
