DEDICATION OF NEW BISHOP OF MBINGA

By Friday Simbaya,
Mbinga

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has urged religious institutions in the country to provide more in vocational training centers so that more youths can get vocational skills and become self-reliance, hence increase self employment.

The president made the request on Sunday during the Episcopal Ordination of new Bishop of Mbinga, Rev. John C. Ndimbo of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mbinga in Ruvuma Region.

He noted that religious institutions should invest more in the vocational training centers than anything else whereby youths especially dropouts can have the chance of getting vocational skills and help them become self reliant.

“We are asking for your favor  to build many vocational centers in the country so that help the government to make more people to become self esteemed and become self employed rather than them waiting for white collar jobs which are very limited and not sufficient enough for everyone, hence prepare them for the competitive labour market in the process,” he said.

He said that the government cannot afford to give job opportunities to everyone because there fewer job opportunities as compared to the number of people who  are in need in the country, but with advent of more  vocational training centers, it will help them become self reliance
.

Kikwete emphasized that people should develop the spirit self motivation and become hard workers and stop sitting around idle bickering and backbiting people around , if they want to attain the better life because  better is not  like manna dropping from heaven.

“People should utilize their time effectively but not just sitting around and complaining about hard life and backbiting people and playing gambling games but should instead get down to work, hence better life  and poverty reduction,” he added.

On the issue of drug trafficking, the president said that the business of drug is rampant in the country and war against it is becoming difficulty because it also involves people financial powers including religious leaders as while. He said that recently there was one bishop of the Catholic Church but he did not name him, who was intercepted by police in connection with drug trafficking.

He asked religious leaders in the country to help the government fighting the war against the illegal business of drugs because it is retarding  economic growth as it is killing youths are the future workforce due to drug abuse. However, he asked the church to help the government in reducing that kind of business by preaching to their followers about the bad thing of drugs abuse.

“We shall not leave any stone unturned but we shall reach for anyone involved in this kind of business” he pointed out.

 On the issue of the road, the president has promised the Mbinga residents that Mbinga Road will be completed before the end next year, through the support from American people. The Mbinga Road is will be constructed at a tarmac level and will reduce time spend on traveling because it will smooth no more dust and fast running vehicles from Songea to Mbinga will be brought.

He has also said after the completion of Mbinga Road, the government will focus on the road to Mbamba Bay which will be headquarters of Nyasa District. Adding if things go well with the donors will start construction of the road as soon as possible. But, it is not necessarily that we depend on donors to construct our roads we shall use own source funds to do that, he said.

On the issue of electricity, the president said Mbinga and the rest of Ruvuma Region, he said region will be connected to the national grid every soon. Mbinga and the rest of Ruvuma Region is currently using thermo-power stations for electricity.

In another development, President of Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), Rev. Yuda Tadeus Ruwaichi urged the government to make sure that it improves the lives of people by making a budget that going to meet people’s expectations and needs  during the forthcoming Budget Session in Dodoma, hence reduce the suffering of many people. Rev. Ruwaichi was accompanied by more than 25 bishops who are members of TEC and wished the country for prosperity, peace and tranquility during the celebration of 50^th anniversary of independence of Tanzania this year.

The Mass of Ordination of the new bishop of Mbinga was driven by the Bishop of Dar es Salaam, Polycarp Cardinal Pengo. Other distinguished guests who attended the ceremony include the former President William Benjamin Mkapa and his wife Anna Mkapa, various Member of Parliaments for Mbinga Constituency and also regional and district leaders.

 

From left to right is the former First Lady, Anna Mkapa, Former President William Benjamin Mkapa, Bishop Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, new bishop of Mbinga, John Ndimbo, President Jakaya kikwete and President of Tanzania Episcopal Conference,  Bishop Yuda Ruwaichi in front of  St. Kilian Church of Mbinga, Ruvuma Region, at the ordination ceremony of new bishop of Mbinga on Sunday.

President Jakaya  kikwete was delivering his speech on Sunday during the ordination and dedication ceremony of new Bishop of Mbinga Diocese on Sunday.