The Primate of the Anglican Church of Tanzania, the Most Rev. Maimbo Mndolwa, has been elected to a second five year term of office at a special meeting of the provincial synod held on 9 Feb 2023 at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Dodomo.
Archbishop Mndolwa was elected on the third ballot, besting challenger the Rt. Rev. Stanley Hotay by a vote of 77 to 62. The election campaign featured accusations of malfeasance and misconduct leveled by supporters of both bishops against the other.
At the Lambeth Conference in 2022, Archbishop Mndolwa told the assembled bishops in Canterbury “You white people in the north know that we Tanzanians are your fellow Anglicans but you have your issues. Do not bring them to us we will not accept them.”
He further stated, however, “We southern people should know that white people have their own issues. Let us not force them to agree with us. This is a big lesson, do not despise it. If you come to Tanzania you will learn to live by tolerating each other in their myriad differences.”
Observers of the Tanzanian church scene tell Anglican.Ink the ACT is unlikely to join the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans in breaking with Archbishop Welby and the Church of England, but nonetheless condemn the decisions taken by General Synod on blessing gay relationships.
