ARUSHA: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has contributed 100m/- for construction of St Karoli Lwanga parish church in Usa River of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha.

Representing President Samia, the Arusha Regional Commissioner, Paul Makonda told the congregants of the church that President Samia wants her contribution to reconcile, unite and build national unity.

Mr Makonda contributed 10m/- and prayed the money be a blessing to all the residents of Arusha that they should not give birth to unproductive people and heal the land from road accidents that have been claiming lives of many people particularly school children.

The Regional Commissioner prayed for descendants of Arusha residents to be blessed and gracious, encouraging them to be God fearing and put him first in their daily lives in order to continue to be blessed.

St Karoli Lwanga parish was formed in 1975 and had a church with capacity to hold 600 worshippers. However with significant increase in the number of worshippers, the parish decided to build another larger church with capacity to hold 2,500 worshippers.

According to the leadership of the parish, construction of the church building began in 2010 with estimated cost of 2.7bn/- until its completion.