At least 20 people were killed in a stampede at an evangelical church that was holding a ceremony in a courtyard in northern Tanzania, officials said Sunday.
"So far 20 people have died, but the death toll may rise due to the presence of the wounded," the district commissioner in the town of Moshi, north of Kibbi and Areopia, told AFP.
The accident occurred on Saturday afternoon when a crowd was attending a prayer ceremony led by the famous preacher Boniface Mwambuza.
The stampede occurred when Mabuza, who described himself as "the Messenger," poured what he said was sacred oil on the ground and the crowd was anxious to touch him in the hope of a cure, according to witnesses.
"The Apostle Boniface Mwamboza poured sacred oil on the ground," a witness, Jennifer Timo, told France Presse.
"Dozens of people immediately fell to the ground, they were pushed and trampled upon, and some died. We counted 20 dead, but there were also wounded."
"It was terrible. People were trampled without mercy and scrambled," said another witness, Peter Kellyo.
He added, "It was as if the preacher threw stacks of dollars in the place (...) and all these people were killed!"