Abstract
Tanzania is generally a peaceful country. Its peaceful nature resulted from a successful nation-building project initiated by the post-independent government under President Julius Nyerere. The project created one society above individuals’ socioeconomic and political identities. The nation-building project was instilled in Tanzanians to prioritise conflict prevention. In recent years, the Interfaith Peace Committee (IPC) has emerged as the most active conflict management and peacebuilding mechanism. Established in 2009, the IPC comprises religious leaders from different faiths to promote tolerance, peace and unity among Tanzanians. The committee mirrors Tanzania’s nation-building project. The IPC is prominent for its peacebuilding activities and interventions in various conflicts. This committee’s objectives and activities align with the Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) 16, which promotes just, peaceful and inclusive societies. Through an interfaith approach to conflict intervention and peacebuilding, the committee has aligned itself with SGD 16. However, more is needed to know how much the committee is institutionalised, as SGD 16 is also about attaining strong institutions. The research question this chapter addresses is to what extent is the IPC institutionalised? We argue that the IPC has yet to be institutionalised as it lacks defined structures, permanent staff, offices and a constitution.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahamed, D. (2014). Religion–State Relations: International IDEA Constitution-Building Primer 8. International IDEA.
Alger, C. F. (2002). Religion as a peace tool. The Global Review of Ethnopolitics, 1(4), 94–109.
Appelby, S. R. (1999). The Ambivalence of the Sacred: Religion, Violence, and Reconciliation. Rowan and Littlefield.
Bakari, M. A. (2012). Religion, Secularism, and Political Discourse in Tanzania: Competing Perspectives by Religious Organizations. Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion, 8, 1–34.
Bakari, M. A., & Ndumbaro, L. (2006). Religion and Governance in the Post-Liberalization Era. In R. S. Mukandala, S. Yahya-Othman, S. Mushi, & L. Ndumbaro (Eds.), Justice, Rights, and Worship: Religion and Politics in Tanzania (pp. 334–359). E & D.
Basedau, M., & de Juan, A. (2008). The “Ambivalence of the Sacred” in Africa: The Impact of Religion on Peace and Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa. GIGA Working Papers, No. 70, German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA).
Behrend, H. (1999). Alice Lakwena and the Holy Spirits: War in Northern Uganda, 1985–97. Currey.
Britain-Tanzania Society. (1993). Religion, Zanzibar Politics, Rev. Mtikila, and Indigenization Witch Craft in Modern Tanzania. Retrieved August 15, 2012, from http://www.tzaffairs.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/tzaffairs_45.pdf
Daniel, K., & Napoo, N. G. (2013). The Relationship Between Church and State. International Journal of Applied Sociology, 3(2), 9–18.
Fox, J. (2004). Religion and State Failure: An Examination of the Extent and Magnitude of Religious Conflict from 1950 to 1996. International Political Science Review, 25(1), 55–76.
Frost, W. J. (2015, June 16–19). Why Religions Facilitate War and How Religions Facilitate Peace. A Lecturer delivered at Friends Association for Higher Education Conference at Haverford College.
Haynes, J. (1996). Religion and Politics in Africa. East African Educational Publishers Ltd..
Heilman, B. E., & Kaiser, P. J. (2002). Religion, Identity and Politics in Tanzania. Third World Quarterly, 23(4), 691–709.
Huntington, S. P. (1996). The Clash of Civilisations and the Remaking of World Order. Simon & Schuster.
Jeong, H. (Ed.). (1999). The New Agenda for Peace Research. Ashgate.
LHRC. (2012). Tanzania Human Rights Report 2011. LHRC.
LHRC. (2013). Tanzania Human Rights Report 2012. LHRC.
Makulilo, A. B. (2019). Who should slaughter animals and poultry? Rethinking the tensions between Muslims and Christians in Tanzania. In E. Chitando, & J. Tarusarira (Eds.), Religion and Human Security in Africa. Taylor & Francis Ltd.
Marx, K. (1959). Das Kapital, A Critique of Political Economy. H. Regnery.
Mesaki, S. (2011). Religion and the State in Tanzania. Cross-Cultural Communication, 7(2), 249–259.
Mhina, A. (Ed.). (2007). Religions and Development in Tanzania: A Preliminary Literature Review. Working Paper 11, Religions and Development Research Programme: International Development Department, University of Birmingham.
Michuzi Blog. (2022, June 30). Kamati ya Amani na Jumuiya ya Maridhiano Wapongeza Mchakato Wakazi Ngorongoro Kuhama Kwa Hiyari. https://issamichuzi.blogspot.com/2022/06/kamati-ya-amani-na-jumuiya-ya.html
Molner, T. (1988). Twin Powers: Politics and the Sacred. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Muganda, A. (2004, May 25–27). Tanzania’s Economic Reforms—And Lessons Learned, Scaling Up Poverty Reduction. A paper presented at A Global Learning Process and Conference Shanghai. Retrieved March 20, 2017, from http://www.tanzaniagateway.org/docs/Tanzania_Country_Study_Full_Case.pdf
Mukandala, R. S., Yahya-Othman, S., Mushi, S., & Ndumbaro, L. (Eds.). (2006). Justice, Rights, and Worship: Religion and Politics in Tanzania. E & D.
Njozi, H. M. (2003). Muslims and the State in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam Muslim Trustees.
Ramsbotham, O., Miall, H., & Woodhouse, T. (2011). Contemporary Conflict Resolution. Polity Press.
Ratzinger, J. (2001). Church, Ecumenism and Politics. St. Paul Publisher.
Reychler, L. (1997). Religion and Conflict. International Journal of Peace Studies, 2(1), 19–38.
Said, M. (1998). The Life and Times of Abdulwahid Sykes (1924–1968): The Untold Story of the Muslim Struggle Against British Colonialism in Tanganyika. Minerva Press.
Tambila, K. (2006). Intra-Muslim Conflicts in Tanzania. In R. S. Mukandala, S. Yahya-Othman, S. Mushi, & L. Ndumbaro (Eds.), Justice, Rights, and Worship: Religion and Politics in Tanzania (pp. 165–188). E & D.
Tanzania Elections Watch. (2020). Final Observation Report on the General Election Held In Tanzania On 28 October 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from https://www.khrc.or.ke/publications/226-final-election-observation-report-on-the-general-elections-held-in-tanzania-on-october-28-2020/file.html
Terdiman, M. (2013). Slaughtering of Animals: A Bone of Contention Between Muslims and Christians in Tanzania. RIMA Occasional Papers, 1(8).
Thoenig, J. (2003). Institutional Theories and Public Institutions: Traditions and Appropriateness. In B. Guy Peters & J. Pierre (Eds.), The Handbook of Public Administration (pp. 127–148). Sage Publications Ltd.
Westerlund, D. (1980). Ujamaa na Dini: A Study of Some Aspects of Society and Religion, 1961–1977. Stockholm Studies in Comparative Religion.
Wijsen, F. J. S. (2004). Seeds of conflict: Religious tensions in Tanzania. Paulines Publications Africa.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Makulilo, A., Henry, R. (2023). Religion and Peacebuilding in Tanzania: Institutionalisation of Interfaith Peace Committee. In: Kilonzo, S.M., Chitando, E., Tarusarira, J. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Religion, Peacebuilding, and Development in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36829-5_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36829-5_14
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-36828-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-36829-5
eBook Packages: Religion and PhilosophyPhilosophy and Religion (R0)