Generation of peace: How youth are shaping TZ’s future stability

ARUSHA: TANZANIA continues to strengthen its foundation of peace and stability; an effort increasingly being driven by young people at the community level.

In line with the National Development Vision 2050, which places peace and social cohesion at the centre of national progress, youth in the Arusha areas of Patandi, Akeri, Mavinuni and Imbaseny are demonstrating how sports, arts and education can transform communities and reinforce the nation’s long-standing commitment to harmony.

In Patandi Village, football tournaments have emerged as one of the most effective tools for uniting young people and easing tensions.

Village Chairperson Jackson Eliona Kaaya said community-driven sports initiatives are helping local authorities guide youth toward positive engagement, complementing the national peacebuilding agenda.

“Sports bring young people together. When we introduced village tournaments, we noticed old tensions among youth beginning to fade. Today, they channel their energy into competition on the field instead of engaging in unnecessary disputes. It reflects exactly what the country is encouraging, peace through productive engagement,” he said.

Mr Kaaya added that several youths who were previously vulnerable to conflict or negative peer groups have now taken up leadership roles as captains, coaches and event organisers, boosting their confidence and strengthening community cohesion.

One of them is 19-yearold football player Joseph Leonard, who said the tournaments helped him avoid negative influences.

“Before joining the team, I spent most of my time roaming around with no direction,” he said.

“Now I feel responsible and football has given me a family. I want to see my community peaceful and united.”

In neighbouring Mavinuni Street, young people are embracing creative arts to echo the nation’s call for unity. Through music, dance, poetry and painting, they have created platforms that promote dialogue and peaceful expression.

Mavinuni Sub-Village Chairperson Mr Bernad Luyana said creativity has become an important force in shaping a peaceful generation.

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“Art has been liberating,” he said.

“When young people express messages of peace through their talents, they become ambassadors of harmony. You cannot listen to a song calling for unity and choose conflict straight after. Their creativity is strengthening the social fabric that Vision 2050 speaks about.”

He noted that community art events also bring together elders, parents and youth, creating vital intergenerational conversations that support stable families and peaceful neighbourhoods.

One of the young artists, 21-year-old poet Hilda Mrema, said poetry has given her a way to influence her peers positively.

“When we perform poems about peace, we are speaking to the hearts of young people,” she said.

“I believe art can heal, and I’m proud to use my voice to keep my community together.”

In Akeri Ward, education and community programmes are reinforcing the national agenda by equipping youth with life skills, responsibility and a deeper understanding of their role in nation-building.

Ward Councillor Mr Julius Mungure said such programmes are essential for safeguarding the peace Tanzania is known for. “Education is the root of peace,” he said.

“We see a clear difference in young people who attend seminars, school clubs and volunteer activities. They have a positive mindset and are better able to participate in community development. These are the young people we expect to carry forward the values of peace that our nation stands for.”

He urged more youth across the country to join community initiatives instead of being associated with conflict, adding that the government’s investment in youth development will only succeed if communities actively participate in guiding their young people.

One of the beneficiaries, 17-year-old Form Four student Baraka Isaya, said the training sessions changed how he responds to conflict.

“I used to react quickly and get into arguments,” he said.

“But after attending workshops, I learned how to handle issues calmly. Now I help others do the same. Peace starts with us.”

In Imbaseny Ward, Councillor Elirehema Mbise works closely with youth groups in areas where social pressures sometimes lead to unrest.

He believes leadership at all levels, village, ward and national, is key to ensuring young people receive the direction they need.