Tanzania priest Charles Kitima – and government critic

An outstanding Catholic priest of Tanzania and government critic has been violently attacked in increasing political tensions before the elections that owe in October.

Fr. Charles Kitima, who had attended a religious meeting throughout the day, was ambushed by two people at night in a canteen bath near his residence in Dar is Salam.

According to the police, he was beaten in the head with a blunt object and then admitted to the hospital, where he is in stable condition.

The eye witnesses said that Father Kitima had been seen talking with several people before the attack, and then he was found bleeding and asking for help, moments after people were seen fleeing from the scene.

Police say they have arrested a suspect, while investigations continue.

The attack against Fr. Kitima, who is the general secretary of the Organization of Catholic Bishops, the Episcopal Conference of Tanzania (TEC), has been widely condemned.

Boniface Mwabukusi, president of the Tangaña Law Society, who visited the priest in the hospital, said he had been “a brutal attack with the intention of taking his life.”

Publishing in X, Mwabukusi said that Father Kitima had a message for the Tanzans that “we should not be afraid to pay the price to defend justice and fulfill our duties to the country.”

The political tension is increasing in Tanzania before the general elections, with rights groups that raise concerns about the reduction of civic space, responsibility and justice.

The vice president of the opposition Chadema, John Heche, said that the incident was a bad “news for the country.”

The Legal and Legal and Legal Rights Center of the Lobby group also condemned the “atrocious attack” that portrayed a “bad image” for the country.

Father Kitima has frequently criticized government policies and is widely known in Tanzania for his bold posture about democratic reforms and human rights.

The assault, which has alarmed religious leaders and civil society, occurs days after the Catholic Church requested that the Government attend calls to electoral reform, a key demand for the opposition.

The leaders of the Christian churches, whose followers constitute 60% of the population, have become increasingly open about the problems of justice and governance.

But their criticisms have not been well received by some supporters of the ruling party, and some high -level figures asking religious leaders to stay out of politics.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan last weekend warned the opposition that “no one is above the law.”

“We must not allow this choice to be a cause of conflict,” he added.

He also tried to minimize fears of appearing promising that the government “would do everything in its power to ensure that the election is free and fair.”

Since last year, there has been a wave of attacks and kidnappings aimed at government critics. Older opposition figures have also been arrested, including Chadema leader, Tundu Lissu, who has been accused of betrayal.

But the attacks of this type of church leaders are unusual.

Police have said that the reason for the attack of Father Kitima is not yet known, with ongoing investigations that seek to identify other suspects.

The government has not commented on the attack.

But Stephen Wasira, vice president of the CCM ruling party, condemned him and sent a message of sympathy to the priest.