Although the Church in Tanzania Has Buried Two Cardinals, There Is Something We Have Not Yet Worked On

Adeladius Makwega – Tarime, Mara

When Polycarp Cardinal Pengo passed away, the funeral rites were conducted and he was buried at Pugu, just outside the city of Dar es Salaam. During that time, this leader of the Catholic Church in Tanzania, Mwanakwetu, was in Musoma, Mara Region, within the Catholic Diocese of Musoma in Tanzania.

Indeed, the final weeks of February 2026 were very busy for Mwanakwetu at work, especially the last week of the month, which was filled with meetings and several visits from regional and even national leaders to the Mara Region—home of the Blessed Julius Kambarage Nyerere. The Regional Commissioner of Mara at that time, Colonel Evans Alfred Mtambi, visited two of his districts: Serengeti on February 25 and Tarime on February 27, 2026. Because of his duties, Mwanakwetu was scheduled to be present at all these events.

Earlier, Mwanakwetu had planned to be in Dar es Salaam in March 2026, while Cardinal Pengo’s funeral was scheduled for February 28, 2026.

Due to Mwanakwetu’s budget and the many financial demands of January, February, and March—such as paying school fees for his children and several relatives—these months are usually difficult for parents with many children. Many Tanzanians prioritize school fees during this period and little else, making life somewhat hard. Planning means choosing, and that was the case for Mwanakwetu.

He had budgeted to travel to Dar es Salaam by bus rather than by plane or any other means. The bus fare was about one hundred thousand Tanzanian shillings, equivalent to 40 US dollars in 2026. Although Mwanakwetu wished to attend and bury Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, he was unable to do so due to the cost of travel, his heavy workload, and the expense of purchasing a plane ticket.

Mwanakwetu is not a stranger to Pugu. There are several long-established Catholic families in that area. Had he gone with his entire family, they would have been offered accommodation. One such family is that of the late Samjela of Pugu town, who once served as Regional Education Officer of Dar es Salaam and married the sister of Kingunge Ngombale Mwiru. Another long-standing Catholic family in Pugu is that of Peter Pinda, the second Prime Minister of the Fourth Phase Government. Moreover, Pugu is not far from Mwanakwetu’s home in Mbagala.

 

Therefore, due to financial reasons, Mwanakwetu could not attend the burial of Cardinal Pengo at Pugu. Nevertheless, he was filled with hope and joy because many Christians from Mbagala Parish and the parishes that originated from it—his home parish within the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam—were present. The Makwega clan was among the early founding Christians of Mbagala Parish, which began in 1975. Even the first members of the Saint Anthony of Padua Choir included daughters of the Makwega family, aunts of Mwanakwetu, and the choir leader at that time was Peter Pinda. Initially, the parish was based at the Mbagala Spiritual Center.

“Indeed, Cardinal Pengo did not go alone. You people of Mbagala who attended the funeral represented me well, your brother Mwanakwetu. Even my joking cousins, the Fipa people, you represented me well.”

This leader’s body was laid to rest on February 28, 2026, many accomplishments are attributed to him. We Christians in Tanzania have witnessed the spread of Christianity to areas previously unreached—not only within the Catholic Church in Tanzania but throughout the universal Church. Today, the Risen Jesus Christ is proclaimed in every corner of Tanzania.

 

Indeed, on February 28, 2026, Tanzania laid to rest its second patriotic Cardinal, following the late Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa, who also led the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam.

As we conclude the burial of Cardinal Pengo and recount his achievements, Mwanakwetu observes that there is one important matter the Church in Tanzania has not handled well: there has not been significant investment in recognizing Christians who lived holy lives. The processes that have been undertaken often focus on religious clergy or well-known individuals who are easily recognized. But why does the Church in Tanzania not invest in identifying ordinary Christians whose lives could be imitated by others if carefully studied?

It would be untrue to say that no Christians have demonstrated heroic virtue and lived exemplary lives. There are many. But has this matter been given due attention?

Significant investment has been made in establishing new dioceses, new parishes, new outstations, and new communities—expanding the number of Christians. Large buildings, schools, hospitals, and various social projects are being constructed. Yet the remaining question is: do we recognize our brothers and sisters whose lives reflect heroic faith according to our beliefs? Or do we rely on the same reasoning Mwanakwetu expressed—that financial pressures and competing priorities prevent us from doing more?

If serious investment were made in recognizing such individuals, it would greatly help believers learn closely from the lives of those who lived on their own soil in different times. Learning from someone who lived far away, in a different culture, can be challenging—though still necessary. But learning from someone who lived within your own culture, faced your challenges, ate your food, and struggled as you struggle—like the Uganda Martyrs—creates a sense of closeness and inspiration.

Now Tanzania has buried two Cardinals, yet it does not have a canonized saint of its own, apart from Muzeeyi Kiwanuka, whose process took place in Uganda.

Mwanakwetu was fortunate to have known Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa and Polycarp Cardinal Pengo personally. In this article, he has chosen to record his reflections so that his brothers and sisters in faith may read them while accompanying the Cardinal to his grave.

 

What is Mwanakwetu saying today?

We Tanzanian Christians should reflect on whether investment should be made in recognizing our own faithful brothers and sisters. We continue to learn much from saints of other regions—even when pronouncing their names can sometimes be difficult. That is not wrong. But failing to promote the cause of our own faithful believers toward holiness is a serious mistake. Otherwise, we will be like Mwanakwetu, who depended on Christians from parishes founded by Mbagala Parish to attend Cardinal Pengo’s burial on his behalf.

Indeed, the Church has many saints and much to learn from their lives. Yet it is good to have saints from our own times, our own places, our own neighborhoods. When you read or hear about their lives—whether a mother faithfully raising her children despite abandonment, or a father striving to support his family amid struggles—you see how they fall and rise again, confronting and overcoming marital and life challenges while holding firmly to their faith.

Are you there, Mwanakwetu? Remember:

“Although the Church in Tanzania has buried two Cardinals, there is something we have not yet worked on.”

I wish you a good day.

February 27, 2026

makwadeladius@gmail.com

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