Registration of our Community met opposition from some influential individuals who felt that their worldly interests were at stake if we registered our Community. The struggle went on since 1985 until 1990 when our constitution was finally registered. One of our respected Veteran elders, Mzee Myugu played a crucial part to overcome the last stumbling block which was intended by our opponents to discourage us. In this syndicate, we shall not give details here.
Our Community was finally registered in the year 1992 (2nd December, 1992) by the Ministry of Home Affairs – Registration Number S.O.7425 and later changed to S.A. 7425 after the previous got lost.
Other Veteran elders who played different roles in this struggle at different times were: Late Shaykh Dhikr Kiondo, late Shaykh Abdallah Seif Linganaweka, Shaykh Hassan Ndimbo, Shaykh Is’haqa Pingili, late Juma Mahanaka, late Sheikh Ngulangwa and others. Among these sheikhs graduated at Bilal and used to work there had just returned from higher studies in Iran, were fired for joining T.I.C movement.
Having obtained registration, an interim leadership was nominated at National level, as the first step towards elected leadership as required by our constitution. However, bearing in mind the cost implication involved with National Elections, it was not within our means to convene the General Meeting for the National Elections, on the outset.
Interim leadership had to remain in power to explore and initiate measures aimed at self reliance to meet the cost of running T.I.C affairs in general, rather than depending on irregular donations. On the other hand, most T.I.C provinces/branches countrywide, were actively conducting elections as required. That is why we have many active T.I.C provinces/branches so far.
In spite of various syndicates by the powerful big shots to undermine T.I.C by freezing the constitution and creating disputes and disunity, we finally managed for the first time, to conduct our realistic first ever General Elections during our National Meeting in April 2018. Delegates from all provinces participated unlike previous secret meetings which nominated some personalities into power, for the benefit of those who gripped T.I.C and regarded it as their property because of their financial power. Details on how much they benefited by their middlemen tactics on T.I.C for many years, is a sad story.
A complete genuine leadership was elected into power but immediately thereafter the trouble makers were hired or planted to lodge objections to registrar on trivial discrepancies common in all elections everywhere. In our case, such disputes could easily be resolved amicably in good faith but they decided to find excuses to destabilize T.I.C by claiming that elections were not perfect conducted. Considering our endless efforts for three years to achieve this much, still they tried hard to undermine T.I.C.
Both parties were summoned to the registrar who listened to their grievances and asked questions on their claims. The Registrar summoned both parties on different occasions and finally ruled that the elected leadership shall remain in power while a National Committee must be formed to prepare and conduct new elections depending on the availability of funds. Obviously this process takes time to materialize considering the cost involved.
Meanwhile we have toured all Provinces and held meetings and seminars to mobilize T.I.C members to awaken and uphold the spirit of self help because religious Communities are not like private Institutions which must depend on donors as their main source of budget. Community Members must make contributions and pay membership fees. Donors may contribute on our own efforts but not everything. Modalities for fund raising are being worked out, by first identifying all members and forming a National Members Register which is also required by Registrar.