Order, rights and responsibility: Why Tanzanians must choose wisdom over emotion

By Onesmo Kyauke, PhD

What is unfolding across the country today is deeply concerning. The disruptions currently being witnessed are inflicting enormous costs on both the nation and individual citizens.

 Recently, while in Arusha, I observed hotels already downsizing their workforce because business has declined sharply. Here in Dar es Salaam, many residents are relocating. A significant number of Asian business owners are either suspending operations or leaving entirely, while ordinary citizens are quietly shifting back to rural regions. This exodus explains the sudden difficulty in securing upcountry bus tickets—people are moving out in large numbers. 

Farmers like us are bearing real losses. Vehicle owners are reluctant to bring trucks to farms due to uncertainty and fear. Kenyan traders, who typically cross the border to purchase produce, are now hesitant to travel. The strain is visible across sectors: tourism, agriculture, logistics, trade, and small enterprises. A sombre mood hangs over the economy—everywhere, people are anxious, cautious, and struggling.

We cannot ignore these realities. The economic and social consequences are substantial.

Yes, the State has a duty to maintain order, safeguard peace, and uphold the rule of law. But these objectives can—and must—be pursued in a way that does not suffocate legitimate business activity, destroy investor confidence, disrupt livelihoods, or trigger economic paralysis. Enforcement should never come at the expense of national stability or economic continuity.

Likewise, those advocating for mass protests or public demonstrations must also reflect. Rights come with responsibility. While freedom of expression and assembly are guaranteed, the manner in which they are exercised matters. Action without a clear strategy risks escalation—leading to chaos, destruction of property, loss of income, emotional trauma, and avoidable suffering.

Those calling for disruption must ask themselves:

Will my actions build Tanzania—or deepen the damage?

Will this open doors for dialogue—or close them permanently?

Will it solve a problem—or create new, more complex ones?

Democracy requires room for dissent. But patriotism demands wisdom in how that dissent is expressed.

At this moment, Tanzania needs an approach anchored in balance: enforcement with restraint, activism with responsibility, and leadership with empathy.

A mitigation framework is necessary—one that protects national security while allowing economic activity to continue. Without such balance, we risk consequences that will take years to reverse: mass unemployment, capital flight, rising inflation, food insecurity, a weakened investment climate, and a fragile economy struggling to regain stability.

Today’s tension is not only political—it is economic, social, and human.

Tanzania has navigated complex challenges before, and we will navigate this one too—but only if we choose wisdom over emotion, dialogue over confrontation, and shared responsibility over blame.

May reason prevail.

May peace guide us.

May Tanzania endure and prosper.

God Bless Tanzania.

Dr Onesmo Kyauke is an Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania and a Political Risk Analyst