Emergency Preparedness at Christian Places of Worship. The Case of Kinondoni Municipality, Dar es Salaam City-Tanzania

Tanzania has been experiencing a number of emergency incidents at places of worship that caused damage to properties and loss of lives of worshipers. Most recent reported cases include the February 2020 stampede that occurred in Moshi where 20 people were killed when rushing to be anointed with the blessed oil. Another disaster rife scenario was the case of bomb attack in a Catholic Church in Arusha in May 2013 where one death was reported due to stampede after the blast. This study assessed emergency preparedness at places of worship in Dar es Salaam focusing on Kinondoni Municipality. The random sampling method was used, where by twenty (20) places of worship were randomly selected, one (1) from each ward in Kinondoni municipality. The data collection methods were literature review, observations and interviews. The study revealed that all of the surveyed places of worship were at risk of fire, 85% were at risk of crimes and 80% at risk of diseases. Additionally, 75% were at risk of attacks, 20% at risk of floods and 20% at risk of stampede. Only 45% had fire fighting equipment and 20% had assembly points. There should be regular provision of emergency preparedness trainings to worshipers and staffs. Keywords : Emergency Preparedness, Christian Places, Kinonondoni Municipality, Dar es Salaam City - Tanzania.