Featured Stories

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Creates Its First Stake in Tanzania

From-left-to-right-Elder-Paul-B.-Pieper,-the-First-Counselor-in-the-Africa-Central-Area-Presidency,-Joel-Wilson-Onditi,-First-Counselor,-Dar-es-Salaam-Stake-Presidency,-Juventus-Mwesiga-Rubona,-Dar-es-Salaam-Stake-President,-Alfred-Regnatus-Henrico,-Second-Counselor-Dar-es-Salaam-Stake-Presidency-and-Elder-George-K.-Munene,-an-Area-Seventy,-in-Dar-es-Salam,-Tanzania-on-Sunday,26-January-2025.
From-left-to-right-Elder-Paul-B.-Pieper,-the-First-Counselor-in-the-Africa-Central-Area-Presidency,-Joel-Wilson-Onditi,-First-Counselor,-Dar-es-Salaam-Stake-Presidency,-Juventus-Mwesiga-Rubona,-Dar-es-Salaam-Stake-President,-Alfred-Regnatus-Henrico,-Second-Counselor-Dar-es-Salaam-Stake-Presidency-and-Elder-George-K.-Munene,-an-Area-Seventy,-in-Dar-es-Salam,-Tanzania-on-Sunday,26-January-2025.
From left to right: Elder Paul B. Pieper, First Counselor in the Africa Central Area Presidency; Joel Wilson Onditi, first counselor in the Dar es Salaam Stake Presidency; Dar es Salaam Stake President Juventus Mwesiga Rubona; Alfred Regnatus Henrico, second counselor Dar es Salaam Stake Presidency; and Elder George K. Munene, an Area Seventy, in Dar es Salam, Tanzania on Sunday, January 26, 2025.

From the Africa Newsroom

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has created its first stake in Tanzania, in the Africa Central Area.

The Dar es Salaam Tanzania Stake was formed from the Dar es Salaam Tanzania District on Sunday, January 26, by Elder Paul B. Pieper, General Authority Seventy and First Counselor in the Africa Central Area Presidency, and Elder George K. Munene, an Area Seventy.

More than 1,200 members and friends gathered at the Mlimani City Social Hall on Sunday for the creation of the first stake.

A stake is similar to a diocese and consists of several wards or branches. The new stake comprises five wards: the Ubungo, Mbezi Beach, Kinondoni, Oysterbay and Tabata wards and five branches: the Bunju, Tegeta, Salasala, Segerea and Kimara branches.

President Juventus Mwesiga Rubona was called and sustained as the new stake president. His counselors are President Joel Wilson Onditi and President Alfred Regnatus Henerico.

Dar-es-Salaam-Tanzania-Stake-Presidency;-Stake-President-Juventus-Mwesiga-Rubona-(middle),-First-Counselor-Joel-Wilson-Onditi(left),-Second-Counselor-Alfred-Regnatus-Henerico-(right),-in-Dar-es-Salam,-Tanzania-on-Sunday,26-January-2025.
Dar-es-Salaam-Tanzania-Stake-Presidency;-Stake-President-Juventus-Mwesiga-Rubona-(middle),-First-Counselor-Joel-Wilson-Onditi(left),-Second-Counselor-Alfred-Regnatus-Henerico-(right),-in-Dar-es-Salam,-Tanzania-on-Sunday,26-January-2025.
Dar es Salaam Tanzania Stake Presidency: Stake President Juventus Mwesiga Rubona (middle), President Joel Wilson Onditi (left), President Alfred Regnatus Henerico (right), in Dar es Salam, Tanzania, on Sunday, January 26, 2025.

President Rubona expressed profound gratitude to the saints in Dar es Salaam, his counselors, and mission leaders for their unwavering efforts. “We now have a place of refuge where we can seek peace and safety in our lives,” he said.

“God’s plan of happiness is perfect to help us return to His presence,” Elder Pieper said in his concluding remarks. “I testify that the children in this country will someday see the temple and participate in its ordinances.”

Speaking after the sustaining, Elder George Munene, an Area Seventy, emphasized the transformative power of missionary work and encouraged members to invite others to experience the blessings of the restored gospel.

Elder Laurian P. Balilemwa, an Area Seventy, was the pioneering district president of Tanzania’s first district, the Dar es Salaam Tanzania District, established on December 5, 2005, with four branches. “I am so happy and joyful to see this happening now,” he said. “One lesson I have learned is that no one can go ahead of the Lord’s timing. Through our natural eyes and wisdom, we felt we were ready a long time ago.”

The Church was officially registered in Tanzania on October 8, 1992.

With a population of 8 million in Dar es Salaam, the creation of the stake is seen as a catalyst for further growth, with members optimistic about the establishment of more stakes in the coming years.

Saints-with-the-local-leadership-in-Dar-es-Salam,-Tanzania-on-Sunday,26-January-2025.
Saints-with-the-local-leadership-in-Dar-es-Salam,-Tanzania-on-Sunday,26-January-2025.
Latter-day Saints pose for a photograph in Dar es Salam, Tanzania, on Sunday, January 26, 2025.

In February 2024, during his ministry in the Africa Central Area, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles saw the Church’s humanitarian efforts in Tanzania and held meetings for Latter-day Saints and full-time missionaries in the Tanzania Dar es Salaam Mission.

Style Guide Note:When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online Style Guide.