Campaigns buried, let us build Tanzania now

THE dusts of elections have finally settled and buried. It is time and we say time to roll up our sleeves and rebuild the nation we all share, Tanzania.

The political season was loud, colourful and at times divisive. But seasons change and now a new one calls: The season of work, innovation and unity. Let us be honest: Politics won’t build our roads, fix our schools or feed our families. Campaign slogans don’t fill market stalls or power factories.

What will? Hard work, peace and a shared commitment to progress. Whether you voted red, blue, green or simply stayed home and that is to say Tanzania belongs to all of us, and it is our collective duty to move her forward. The youth, especially, stand at the crossroads of destiny.

You are the muscle, the mind and the digital heartbeat of this nation. But let us not mistake energy for anarchy. Hooliganism is not heroism and it is self-destruction in disguise. Burning petrol stations, destroying shops and vandalising businesses do not “send a message.” They send people into unemployment, poverty and despair.

Every time a stone flies, a dream falls. Every match lit in anger burns someone’s tomorrow. The police, like any guardians of order, have a duty to protect peace. When chaos breaks out, they must act and when they do, no one wins. So, why invite that?

Let us not give force a reason to visit our streets. Instead, let us fill those streets with enterprise, ideas and opportunity.

The same energy used to throw stones could build apps, farms and startups. And about social media and our new public square. It is a powerful tool, but like fire, it can cook or burn depending on how it is used. Let us not use our keyboards to ferment chaos, spread hate or recycle lies. Let us use them to network, educate, market and mobilise development.

A trending hashtag of hope will do more good than a viral clip of violence ever will. We can argue all we want, but in the end, no political party feeds a family.

No protest rebuilds a burned kiosk. Only work does. Only peace does. Tanzania’s greatness doesn’t rest in the hands of politician, it simply rests in the hands of farmers, traders, teachers, artists, coders, engineers and dreamers like you. So, let us bury the bitterness and dig up our potential.

Let us replace the noise of division with the rhythm of progress. Let us prove to ourselves and to the world that Tanzania is not a playground of politics but a powerhouse of productivity.

The campaign is over. The votes were counted and the past is now gone. The future is calling and it demands builders, not brawlers; thinkers, not trolls; doers, not destroyers. Our slogan now is simple: Work Hard. Stay Peaceful. Build Tanzania.