Tanzania’s government has shut down a prominent church after its founder and pastor, a ruling party lawmaker, denounced ongoing human rights violations in a sermon. The move came less than a day after the sermon and has sparked widespread concern about religious freedom and political dissent ahead of the country’s October elections.
The Glory of Christ Tanzania Church, founded by Bishop Josephat Gwajima, was officially deregistered by the Registrar of Societies on June 2, one day after Gwajima publicly condemned a rise in abductions and enforced disappearances and launched a seven-day prayer campaign for justice and peace during a Sunday sermon, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported this past weekend.
The government accused Gwajima of violating Chapter 337 of the Societies Act by delivering politically charged sermons that it said were intended to erode public trust in the government.
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The church, widely known in Swahili as “Nyumba ya Ufufuo na Uzima” (The House of Resurrection and Life), has more than 70,000 members across at least 2,000 branches nationwide, and is one of the most visible Pentecostal movements in the country.
Efforts by the church to secure a temporary injunction from the High Court in Dodoma initially failed due to errors in the deregistration letter, Baptist Press reported.
Gwajima, who represents the Kawe constituency in Parliament as a member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, or CCM, has become an increasingly vocal critic of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. His recent sermon followed reports of abductions and alleged torture of two foreign activists – Kenyan Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan Agather Atuhaire – who were arrested in Dar es Salaam ahead of opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s treason trial, according to The Associated Press.
The activists were later expelled from the country after reportedly being tortured and assaulted while in custody.
Last Friday, the Glory of Christ Church appealed its closure in court for the second time, but no ruling has yet been announced.
As of mid-July, the main church building in Dar es Salaam remains closed and under police watch, with a riot-control vehicle stationed at the entrance. Members of the congregation initially gathered in private homes for services and later relocated to the Tanzanite Social Hall in Kimara Korogwe to worship.
On June 1, Gwajima used his platform to warn followers to remain vigilant and condemned detentions and disappearances of government critics. President Hassan had previously cautioned against what she called the “Gwajimanisation” of the CCM, an apparent reference to Gwajima’s growing influence and dissent within the ruling party.
The closure comes amid growing signs of repression in Tanzania in the lead-up to the general election.
In April, opposition candidate Tundu Lissu was arrested and charged with incitement and treason, a capital offense. He is now on trial, and rights groups have raised concerns about the fairness of the proceedings.
The main opposition party, Chadema, has called for electoral reforms, while President Hassan, who assumed office after the 2021 death of former President John Magufuli, is seeking her own mandate. Though her initial months in office included a repeal of Magufuli’s ban on political rallies, recent months have seen a shift in tone, including her public warnings to foreign observers and deportations of activists without explanation.
A police presence was also reported at a joint prayer meeting on July 6 hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, where former members of the Glory of Christ Church had gathered, according to CSW. Earlier, on May 8, Bishop Benson Bagonza of the Lutheran Church’s Karagwe Diocese disclosed that he had received death threats after raising similar concerns about killings and abductions.
Tanzania mandates registration of all religious organizations through the Registrar of Societies, with renewals required every five years. Organizations found to have violated terms of registration can face penalties or be shut down.
In July 2024, the Christian Life Church in Dar es Salaam was deregistered after allegations that it charged members for spiritual services and delivered sermons deemed contrary to Tanzanian values.
CSW CEO Scot Bower said the government was misusing registration laws to silence critical voices, describing the closure as unjustified given constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, expression and association.
