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DAR ES SALAAM: IT is that time again, when the political drums are beating, posters are going up and slogans are getting louder.

Yes, Tanzania heads to the polls this October and the air, both online and offline, is thick with opinions, promises and unfortunately, some poisonous misinformation.

In the age of the smartphone, everyone with a data bundle and an opinion becomes a “journalist.”

But let us get something straight: Freedom of expression is not freedom from accountability. If you operate as a journalist especially online, then act like one. Register your platform, respect the law and uphold the ethics that come with the title.

Because the line between expression and incitement is not as blurry as you think. It is crystal clear when your post leads to fear, confusion, or worse, chaos. Let us be honest: The temptation is real.

A fiery WhatsApp broadcast or a Twitter thread dripping with “exposé” energy can rake in thousands of views. But here is the catch, not everything viral is valuable and not everything loud is legal.

This is a polite but firm reminder to social media content creators, influencers and digital “journalists”: If you are engaging in news-related content, register with the authorities.

It is not censorship, it is structure. Your audience deserves accuracy and the nation demands responsibility.

As we approach the elections, spreading fake news, unverified claims, or inciting messages is not activism, it is sabotage.

And when the dust settles, it is not the likes or shares that matter, it is the lives and peace that could be lost in the process. To the youth yes, you, the digital natives navigating Instagram with one hand and politics with the other.

You are smart, passionate and powerful. You are also the largest voting bloc and the loudest online voice. That makes your role more critical than ever.

ALSO READ: Politicians urged to champion peace ahead of polls

So, what will you choose? Will you be the generation that uses the internet to build, educate and mobilise for good or the one remembered for keyboard wars and political mudslinging? Constructive political engagement doesn’t mean echoing politicians’ insults or turning social media into a battleground.

It means asking tough questions, demanding issue-based debates and rejecting name-calling as a form of “strategy.” Let your voice uplift, not divide.

Because when the hashtags fade, we still wake up as Tanzanians, responsible for fixing the same roads, using the same hospitals and paying the same taxes. And now, a note to those contesting power: Campaign with courage but also with class.

Democracy thrives not on who shouts the loudest, but on who respects the process, the people and yes even the opponents. Your rival is not your enemy.

Their voters are not your obstacles. This October, let us trade insults for ideas and bitterness for better policies. It is easy to whip up a crowd with slogans, but what endures is a campaign built on dignity and democratic values. Civility is not weakness, it is leadership.

At the end of the day, we are all Tanzanians. Whether red, blue, green, or undecided, we share the same soil and the same future. October 29th is coming. Let us make sure we arrive there united, informed and ready to vote with hope not hatred.