Anthony Petro Mayalla

Anthony Peter Mayalla (25 April 1940 - 19 August 2009), also Anthony Petro Mayalla, was Tanzanian Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mwanza. He was appointed archbishop of Mwanza on 18 November 1987. He previously served as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Musoma between 1979 and 1987. He was appointed bishop on 12 January 1979 by Pope John Paul II. He died on 19 August 2009 aged 69 years.

Background and education He was born on 25 April 1940, at Ibindo-Kwimba, Kwimba District, Mwanza Region, Tanzania. He attended primary and secondary school in Kwimba District. He studied at the St. Mary's Minor Seminary Nyegezi in the Archdiocese of Mwanza. He then transferred to the St. Paul's Major Seminary in Kipalapala Tabora, before he was ordained priest.

He studied at Loyola University in Chicago in the United States, from 1973, graduating from there with a degree in education in 1975.

Priesthood On 20 December 1970, he was ordained a priest of the diocese of Mwanza at Ibindo Parish, by Bishop Renatus Lwamosa Butibubage, Bishop of Mwanza. He served in that capacity until 12 January 1979.

As bishop Pope John Paul II appointed him as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Musoma on 12 January 1979. He was consecrated and installed at Musoma on 22 April 1979 by the hands of Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa, Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam assisted by Bishop John James Rudin, Bishop Emeritus of Musoma and Bishop Renatus Lwamosa Butibubage, Bishop of Mwanza.

On 18 November 1987, The Holy Father appointed him Archbishop of the Metropolitan Ecclesiastical Province of Mwanza. He was formally installed there as archbishop on 28 February 1988. He was the first archbishop to serve the province of Mwanza following its elevation from a diocese. He served in that capacity until his death on 19 August 2009.

Illness and death Archbishop Mayalla fell ill suddenly on the morning of 19 August 2009. He was rushed to Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza for evaluation and management. At the hospital, he was diagnosed as being in the process of having a heart attack. Despite the best efforts of the medical team treating him, he died at about 2.30p.m. that afternoon. He was 69 years old.

Legacy He served as the chairman of the board of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUAEA), for over ten years. Archbishop Anthony Peter Mayalla is credited with founding of both Bugando Medical Centre, where he died and Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), also in Mwanza City. He also served as the president of the Council of Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC Council), beginning in June 1983 and ending in 1989.