Elections are coming, stay focused

DAR ES SALAAM: IT is that time again. The banners are soon coming out and the slogans will also fly, simply to announce that so and so from party X will be the best politican to deserve our votes, or simply welcome to election season, 2025. Mark it now: October 29th. That is not just another Tuesday.

It is not just the day you forget, it is General Election Day—the one day, your voice gets loud enough to actually shake the system (legally, of course).

So, listen carefully: if you have ever complained about potholes, unpredicatable water supply, unemployment, or politicians who disappear faster than your phone credit… this is your moment. Let us start with the facts.

Low voter turnout is like bringing two people to a buffet meant for fifty.

The food (i.e., leadership) ends up being divided among whoever shows up. If you stay home, someone else chooses your portion—and your future. But this year, there is a new twist.

As the campaign engines warm up, so do the keyboard warriors and digital tricksters.

There is a growing trend of using Artifical Intelligence (AI) tools to create fake content, or simply name them as deepfake videos, doctored images and troll accounts. This is not science fiction anymore.

It is happening. It is targeted. And it is dangerous. Especially to our young people: You are smart. You are loud. You are online.

ALSO READ: Tanzania envisions a civilized General Elections campaign

And unfortunately, you are the prime target for misinformation campaigns disguised as humour, satire, or “just vibes.”

Campaign teams and online clout chasers will try to use your creativity to push narratives, mock opponents, or worse, divide communities. Don’t let them rent your voice for free.

It is one thing to debate. It is another to digitally destroy. Elections are meant to uplift democracy, not downgrade dignity.

As campaign season begins, we urge every citizen to not only show up to vote but to stay alert. Ask questions. Verify sources. Think before you share that spicy Tik.

Lastly, we expect all to attend, because this is your role as a Tanzanian to decide your future through the ballots, not with excuses and feigning reasons to stay at home and let someone else vote on your behalf.