Youth told to embrace patriotism
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIAN youth have been urged to embrace patriotism and prioritise national interests in their daily lives to help ensure the country remains safe, united and prosperous.
The call was made by Director of Youth Development at the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disabilities), Mr Suleiman Mvunye during the launch of the first cohort of the Tanzania NextGen Leaders Fellowship (TNLF) held in Dar es Salaam on Monday. Mr Mvunye said that young people must recognise that national loyalty and unity are the foundation for both personal and societal development.
“Youth must understand that the first priority in your lives is to put your nation and its interests first. We have no other country apart from this one,” he stressed.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for youth empowerment, socially and economically.
“In addition to the existing Youth Development Fund, the government has rolled out various initiatives to support youthled progress. These include provision of loans at the council level, with specific allocations: 4 per cent for youth, 4 per cent for women, and 2 per cent for people with disabilities,” he noted.
Speaking on the newly launched programme, Executive Director of African Leadership Initiatives for Impact (ALII), Mr Joseph Malekela said the fellowship brings together 100 promising young Tanzanians from across the country to undergo intensive leadership training.
The programme focuses on key areas including ethics, integrity, national vision, sectorspecific knowledge and civic responsibility.
“We’ve carefully selected important courses so that these young leaders can be well- prepared, aware of the nation’s vision and ready to contribute to Tanzania’s development,” he said.
Mr Malekela outlined that fellows are drawn from various sectors including business, diplomacy, peace and security, health, and social development.
“With more than 77 per cent of Tanzania’s population under the age of 35, youth are not just the future they are the energy of the present. They will be the force that transforms Vision 2050 into reality,” he added.
His sentiments were echoed by Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr Shigeki Komatsubara, who said the launch of the fellowship aligns perfectly with Tanzania’s recently introduced Vision 2050.
“Vision 2050 provides the roadmap but you, the youth, will be the ones to implement it,” he underlined. A representative from HakiElimu, Mr Mwemezi Makumba, one of the co-conveners of the fellowship, praised the initiative and encouraged participants to embody the leadership values taught throughout the programme.
“As the first cohort of what will be an ongoing programme, we urge you to take the training seriously and apply it in every stage of your life. We expect your leadership to shine wherever you go,” he said.
The United States and Ireland governments reaffirmed their support for youth leadership development in Tanzania.
Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Mr Andrew Lentz, and Head of Public Diplomacy at the Embassy of Ireland, Ms Danai Lazaris both pledged continued support through initiatives such as leadership exchange programmes and other development partnerships. These combined efforts aim to nurture a generation of ethical, visionary and action- oriented leaders to drive Tanzania’s future.
