Govt to engage youth in Union matters
DAR ES SALAAM: THE government has pledged to actively involve Tanzanian youth in union matters by ensuring they access the various opportunities within the Union, aiming to preserve it effectively for future generations.
Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Hamad Masauni, made the remarks on Tuesday while opening a seminar with media editors in Dar es Salaam.
The seminar focused on the role of the media in safeguarding and strengthening the Union. Minister Masauni said that the ministry is shifting its approach from emphasizing the challenges of the Union to promoting its opportunities.
“The Union has achieved significant successes in political, economic, and social spheres since its formation. It remains one of the key symbols of our unity, brotherhood, and nationhood as Tanzanians,” said Minister Masauni. “We have strengthened relations with the international community for mutual benefit, and it is time we also highlight these achievements to the youth.”
He noted that much of the misleading information circulating about the Union is due to a lack of proper education, particularly among Generation Z.
“Most young people have not been given adequate knowledge about the origins of the Union, its benefits, and the opportunities it provides both to individuals and to the nation,” the minister said.
To address this gap, Minister Masauni called on journalists and media outlets to play a key role in educating the public through programs, discussions, and dialogues. He issued five directives for the media, emphasizing their responsibility in safeguarding information that strengthens the Union and countering misinformation that may cause division.
The directives include ensuring all published information is accurate and sourced reliably; organizing constructive discussions that do not incite hostility; highlighting the achievements of the Union rather than only focusing on challenges; educating the public on constitutional matters, history, and benefits of the Union; and providing balanced platforms that listen to all voices without fostering division.
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Minister Masauni added that those who truly understand the country’s history cannot seek to divide it. “We should never belittle the achievements attained over the 61 years of the Union. Our father of the nation, Julius Nyerere, and the late President Karume worked tirelessly for this Union, making sacrifices that we must honor by preserving it,” he said.
He further outlined the numerous benefits of the Union, including the strengthening of bonds of kinship among citizens, the endurance of national unity and solidarity, enhanced defense and security, growth in trade and economic activities, and the joint utilization of resources such as land and the sea.
Reaffirming the government’s seriousness, Minister Masauni warned that legal actions would be taken against anyone attempting to undermine or tamper with the Union. “The Union is not a trivial matter to be played with; it embodies our humanity and nationhood. Its endurance for over half a century makes it a symbol of national cohesion on the African continent,” he stressed.
Former Minister for Information, Culture, Artists, and Sports, Dr Harris Mwakyembe, delivered a presentation on the origin, foundations, and benefits of the Union. He urged that youth, who did not witness the Union’s formation, must understand its foundations to protect it. “Distorting history has serious consequences. Efforts to educate the new generation on the Union are highly commendable and extremely important,” he said.
