Activists urge youth to engage actively in movements
Lawyer, journalist and social commentator Jenerali Ulimwengu.
What you need to know:
Youth have a bigger role to play in movements for social and political change activists have argued.
Dar es Salaam. The advancement in technology has led many people, especially the youth, to be connected through social networks.
Apart from being used for communication, activists argue that they can also be used as a great opportunity to unite the people in fulfilling their role in society.
Talking during a forum, which discussed the rights and responsibilities of citizens to their country, activists argued that people - especially youths who are the most active in the use of technology - have the power to bring out change by participating in movements that emphasize their country’s development.
The forum, organised by Change Tanzania, was held here in the city on February 20, 2019 with the slogan "Wenye Nchi ni Wananchi," loosely translated to: “It’s Citizen who Own the Country.”.
Participants included individuals and groups from social political activists.
A prominent lawyer, journalist and social commentator Jenerali Ulimwengu said youth have more power in advocating for social and political change in the country, and every young generation is responsible for being part of the change.
“The founders of all the major and astonishing things in the world are youths, but also a large percentage of the youth are the source of all the political and economic problems in nations. This is how powerful youths are,” he said.
“Activism is all about positive change. Being an activist is a sign of being alive, and to lack the activism drive in you is a sign of death,” he added.
Maria Sarungi Tsehai who is an activist and the co-founder of Change Tanzania said the movement started as a hashtag on Twitter to influence Tanzanian citizens to participate in bringing positive change in different aspects of life.
“It started on social media as an informal grouping of individuals who are focused on bringing positive and sustainable change to Tanzania,” she said.
Ms Tsehai noted that since most active users of social media and the internet were the youth it was better if they used the opportunity to advocate change.
