Christian World | Tanzania's Catholic bishops' chairman urged truth and forgiveness for political detainees a year after the 2025 poll violence; not yet confirmed by other sources

ACW | October 31, 2026 — Bishop Wolfgang Pisa, chairman of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, called for the truth to be defended and for political detainees to be forgiven on Thursday, the anniversary of Tanzania's 2025 election violence, ACI Africa reported.

He spoke during Mass at St. Andrew Kaggwa Cathedral in the Diocese of Lindi. The bishops' conference had set the day aside for prayers for victims of the violence that followed the October 29, 2025 vote.

"We must defend the truth, not protect wrongdoing," Pisa said, according to ACI Africa. If the current electoral law and constitution cannot deliver fair elections, he said, "then that is the truth that should guide us."

Pisa asked that people detained or tortured for political reasons in connection with the elections be forgiven. Killing those who did wrong "will not solve the problem; it will bring more hatred and greater division," he said. No response from the Tanzanian government appears in published reports.

This report has not yet been confirmed by other sources. A video of the homily has been posted on YouTube, but ACW has not reviewed the full text.

Background: ACI Africa says the violence after Tanzania's 2025 election left people killed, injured and missing, and some families are still unable to bury their relatives. The outlet gave no casualty figures.

Why it matters: Pisa urged Christians to take responsibility, saying that "through my failure to act, my failure to speak, or my failure to give direction, perhaps killings occurred," ACI Africa reported. "Like Cain, we continue to be asked: 'Where is your brother Abel?'" he said.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: ACI Africa — Tanzania's Catholic bishops' chairman urges truth, forgiveness to prevent further election violence; Video of the homily

Photo: Radio Maria Tanzania