Preach peace, not panic in public
AS the general elections approach with a clatter of campaigns, colour and commendable promises, one thing must remain sacred above all else: our national peace.
Tanzania has long been a beacon of stability in a continent too often rattled by electoral turmoil. It did not happen by accident. It was built slowly, consciously and communally and now it must be defended, not with weapons or slogans, but with wisdom, restraint and unity.
This is where our traditional leaders, religious figures, politicians and their die-hard fans must rise, not like warriors, but like guardians of harmony. If you are famous enough to gather a crowd or powerful enough to shift opinions, you are also responsible enough not to ignite chaos.
Yes, elections bring emotions. Passions will run high, but this is no excuse to fan the flames of division. Some may flirt with dangerous rhetoric, pitting one group against another in the name of “strategic campaigning.” Let us call that what it truly is: divisive, destructive politics wearing a cheap disguise. Let us remind all political figures and their ever-energetic supporters: politics is not war and the ballot is not a battlefield. It is a space where ideas compete, not people.
Traditional leaders must step into their centuries-old role as community glue. Speak not of “us versus them,” but of Tanzania for all. Clergy and imams, as you lift your hands in prayer, remind your congregations that no holy book supports hatred in the name of elections. Politicians, while you build manifestos, don’t tear the country apart. Be remembered for ideas, not incitement.
This election season, let the loudest message in mosques, churches, community halls, radio shows and family dinners be this: We may vote differently, but we live together. We must reject any school of thought that suggests loyalty to a party must mean hostility toward a neighbour.
That is not loyalty, but that that is lunacy. And it is un-Tanzanian. To the youth, put down the sticks, pick up the slogans. To the elders, kindly pass down wisdom, not warnings of war.
And to the security forces, be neutral, firm and fair, not trigger-happy referees. We call upon every voice that holds influence likely from village elders to Insta-famous activists to chant one message in unison: Peace before politics. Unity before urgency. T
anzania before all. Come elections, let us vote with pride, not prejudice. Let us paint our fingers with ink, not our streets with fear. Let us be loud in our campaigns, but louder in our call for peace.
Because at the end of it all, whether red, blue, green, or independent, we all return to the same market, the same schools, the same streets and the same sky in Tanzania. Let us keep that sky clear. For all our sakes.
