DAR ES SALAAM: YOUTHS are the lifeblood of any nation, and their engagement in shaping the future is critical. A country’s peace, stability and development are fragile achievements that require the vigilance and commitment of its young citizens.
By recognising that national resources and infrastructure belong to all people, not just to a few youths can rise as guardians of unity and progress.
In an age where misinformation and external influences can threaten cohesion, the young generation’s resilience, creativity, and civic responsibility are essential to safeguarding the nation’s destiny.
Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba’s recent tour of unrest-affected areas in Dar es Salaam, following skirmishes that erupted during the election period, revealed a strikingly clear message: Tanzania’s peace is not merely a backdrop to national life, but a precious national asset, one that must be actively guarded, especially by the country’s youth.
His framing of peace as a “gift from God” feels both earnest and urgent, a reminder that stability is neither accidental nor guaranteed.
By insisting that the country and its infrastructure “do not belong to political parties” but to ordinary citizens, he placed moral and civic responsibility squarely where it belongs: with the people who stand to lose the most from disorder.
There is a refreshing candour in his warning against those who seek to sow chaos from afar. His concerns about external actors, even those fluent in Kiswahili, reflect a growing global reality in which disinformation and digital manipulation transcend borders with ease.
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Yet his appeal is not driven by fear. Rather, it is anchored in the country’s long-standing tradition of unity, particularly its interwoven religious heritage. His reminder that Tanzanian families are often “mixed” across faiths speaks directly to the nation’s pragmatic social fabric, where coexistence is not simply encouraged but lived daily. It is a pointed rebuttal to anyone attempting to exploit religious identity for political gain.
Running parallel to this call for unity is President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s decision to establish a fully-fledged Ministry of Youth Affairs, a move that signals a structural, long-term commitment to addressing the needs of young people.
The new ministry represents more than bureaucratic expansion. It is an acknowledgment that youth issues cannot be managed through fragmented initiatives. They require dedicated attention, sustained resources and coherent policy direction.
The president’s directive to allocate resources for young people to “bring about their own development” is a quietly radical shift in tone. Rather than positioning the state as sole provider, it frames young Tanzanians as agents in their own futures, capable of generating livelihoods when given the right tools.
With the national manifesto’s commitment to create more than 8.5 million jobs, the government appears to be aligning its rhetoric with tangible structural reforms. Dr Nchemba’s insistence on transparent recruitment processes, equal access to information and fair distribution of opportunities further strengthens this impression.
Equally notable is the Prime Minister’s challenge to entrenched attitudes about employment. His criticism of the belief that only government jobs confer dignity is timely and necessary. In a rapidly evolving economy, where self-employment and private-sector work are increasingly central to growth, such views risk trapping young people in narrow expectations that can only deepen frustration and inequality.
His reminder that graduates now emerge from every ward across the country underscores how dramatically Tanzania’s educational landscape has changed. Equal opportunity must now rise to meet this expanded pool of talent.
What emerges from both sets of remarks is a coherent strategic vision: one that couples social stability with economic empowerment.
The Prime Minister’s repeated emphasis on unity, peace and shared civic responsibility is reinforced by the President’s structural measures aimed at tackling youth unemployment and promoting equitable resource distribution.
Together, these messages and policies present a coherent vision: a recognition that Tanzania’s youths are not a problem to be managed or a demographic to be appeased, but a vital constituency whose empowerment is central to the nation’s social, economic and political progress.
This narrative signals a shift in governance, one that sees investment in young people not as charity, but as a strategic necessity for national stability. By providing tangible pathways for employment, education and entrepreneurship, the government is attempting to align opportunity with responsibility, creating an environment where peace is maintained not solely through enforcement but through the engagement and agency of citizens themselves.
If implemented with the transparency, consistency, and seriousness promised, these initiatives could mark a significant turning point for Tanzania. They suggest leadership that is prepared not merely to defend the country’s peace in the present, but to actively construct a future in which young people have both the stability and the tools to thrive. This approach is particularly meaningful in a region where political unrest and economic turbulence are all too common, and where youth disenfranchisement often becomes a catalyst for instability.
By prioritising both cohesion and empowerment, Tanzania is positioning itself to harness the energy, creativity and aspirations of its younger generation as a foundation for sustainable national development.
Ultimately, this dual focus on opportunity and unity underscores a simple but powerful principle: A peaceful nation is inseparable from a youth population that is engaged, skilled and invested in the country’s collective future.