The High Court has dismissed the State’s objection in the case concerning the deregistration of Ufufuo na Uzima Church, allowing the matter to proceed to a full hearing.
Represented by Advocate Peter Kibatala, the Registered Trustees of Glory of Christ Tanzania Church requested emergency protection from the court while their appeal to the Minister of Home Affairs is still pending.
The State, represented by Principal State Attorney Ms. Vivian Method and assisted by Ms. Narindwa Sekimanga, Mr. Erigi Rumisha, and Ms. Kumbukeni Kondo, raised a preliminary objection. They argued that the deregistration letter was addressed to an entity called “Glory of Christ Church”, not “Registered Trustees of Glory of Christ Tanzania Church”, the official name of the applicant. Therefore, they claimed, no official decision had been made directly against the applicant, and thus, there was nothing for the court to stop or block.
The State attorneys also questioned the authenticity of the letter, saying it was obtained through social media, calling it “speculation and non-existent.”
In response, Advocate Kibatala admitted that the letter was not officially addressed to the church and had not been formally received. However, he emphasized that these issues are part of the grounds raised in the church’s appeal to the Minister of Home Affairs.
He also informed the court that despite these irregularities, police had already stopped church services and detained several members. The church argued that its constitutional right to freedom of worship was under threat and asked the court to stop the police and the Registrar of Societies from interfering with their religious activities until the appeal is resolved.
In her ruling on June 06, 2025, Judge Juliana Masabo dismissed the State’s objection, clearing the way for the case to be fully heard in court.
Although the case remains before the court and the appeal is still pending, the government continues to enforce the deregistration order. As a result, Ufufuo na Uzima churches across the country remain closed, with police officers restricting access to members.The church is estimated to have about 2000 affiliated churches in Tanzania.
