23/01/2006

Ex-minister pleads for poor

WEALTHY members of the community have the obligation to share part of their income with the less fortunate people in the society, a religious organisation was told here over the weekend.

Former health minister Mrs Anna Abdallah told a Roman Catholic Community of Sant'Egidio at a book launch that "in fact those who are wealthier, but don't share their wealth with the poor are actually more poorer spiritually".

The former minister, in the company of the Manyara Regional Commissioner, Colonel Anatoli Tarimo, were officiating at the launch of the Kiswahili version of a book on 'Community of Sant'Egidio', authored by Italian Andrea Riccardi.

Today 'Community of Sant'Egidio' movement has more than 50,000 members, dedicated to charity and care for the poor and needy people in Rome, Italy, and in Tanzania as well as in more than 70 countries throughout the world.

Mrs Abdallah said beside the wealthy, national leaders were obliged to support the poor to see to it that they have access to services like other c�tizens.

Colonel Tarimo said leaders have a duty to participate in community services and that those who do it would be better-placed to know what were actual1y their obligations to the society.

Andrea Riccardi recently published a book on the European relationship with Africa titled Eurafrica. He has repeatedly visited Mozambique so as Malawi and Tanzania.

Charles Nzommbaga