IN the beginning God said to humans: ‘have dominions over the fish of the sea, over the fowls of the air and over every living thing that move upon the earth’. God said to the man and the woman: ‘be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it.’

Many years have passed since Adam and Eva/Hawa were created; current statistics indicate an increase in the number of people worldwide, approximately eight billion. 

This is a sign that the world is becoming crowded with certain nations like China and India leading with about 40 percent of the total global-population. Tanzania with enormous land-area (about 94.55 million hectares), according to the 2022 Population and Housing Census (PHC) the country inhabits 61,741,120 people—the number which is low compared to the available land area. 

Tanzania requires her citizens to multiply and increase in numbers; youth seem to derail from the natural-path for marital status including having several children familywise. Youth are not interested in marriage instead want to remain single when expected to become fathers and mothers bonded in matrimonial way of life. 

What has betrayed Tanzanian youth becoming uninterested in marriage creating environment for family-hood? Is it due to globalization, digital systems and in inappropriate adoption of external influences and undesirable social governance and administrative systems?  

There is no doubt that developed nations don’t care if can fulfil their best wishes; even if they are against the will of the almighty God by provoking evils. For instance, encouraging marriages between same sexes (homosexuality and lesbianism); including enacting the Law to ‘destroy pregnancies while women encouraged to prevent pregnancies’. Such human actions are very disgusting not only to humans but also to God, who created people and through his love and grace; commanded humans to produce children and multiply accordingly. 

During teenage, I used to hear old-people saying that having many children is a blessing to a family. Nowadays the situation has become so different such that for ‘young people’ to be married; having children is an act considered stressful and curse. 

What provoked me to raise this, hinges on the situation surfacing amongst young people especially men; forgetting that they are the people to be trusted to have sustainable families. 

There is a saying: ‘the world is in turmoil’ meaning currently humans are not firm but rather ‘wobbling here and there’ until death yet without understating what life is all about. If one reflects seriously on the current youths’ in Tanzania, should realize the ‘state of affairs’ is definitely the outcome of the worldly struggles for selfishness rather than standing firmly on the foundations and instructions of God. 

Experiences on mainland show that youth have indulged themselves into extreme ‘drinking alcohol’. During my teenage before and after starting primary education; I used to see those who drank alcohol were adults with families no unmarried youth were allowed to join adults as they gathered for alcoholic drinks. 

Traditional or customary systems prevented them from associating themselves in places where adults took alcohol but rather encouraged to manage their lives and families well.

Nowadays systems of lives are pegged on ‘digital, political, psychological, technological’ and other pleasantness’s. Furthermore, the global outlook is progressively moving in directions of freedom without bothering what one does as long as is about 18 years. This situation indeed, conflicts with the Law of nature, Principles and Spiritual Systems in accordance to God’s creation. 

Types of alcohol that youth are drinking, for example, ‘konyagi’ and ‘sungura’ and other sorts yet detrimental to youth’ health and mental wellbeing. Similarly, distributed in small packaging encourages many youths becoming alcoholic extravaganzas in the context of reduced alcohols’ prices. 

Besides alcohol, experiences show that once youths are addicted to intoxicating-drugs. During the past, the government tried hard to stop and control use of intoxicating-drugs by ensuring drugs are not easily brought into Tanzania.

Operation carried-out recently by the Drugs Prevention and Control Authority (24th August to 2nd September, 2024; demonstrated there are major weaknesses in systems involved to prevent and control the importation of intoxicating-drugs. For instance, report issued by the Authority on September 10, 2024 displayed large amounts of drugs entered in Tanzania and were seized in the municipalities of Kinondoni and Ubungo and suspects arrested. 

The question remains, how did such large consignments of unwanted-drugs entered Tanzania without detected at the places of entry till confiscated in residential areas? Likewise, use of ‘marijuana’ (Cannabis sativa) has been chronic in various places on Mainland; what fails the nation to curb the unbecoming situations regards use of intoxication-drugs?  

As a nation, it is important to appraise the situation of ‘alcoholism/drugs’ as it stands today and forecast what situation shall be in the next decades and type of ‘workforce’ the country will possess? 

Especially, as many youths, between the ages of 20 and 40 years, continue spoiling themselves through alcoholic and drugs, then foresee what shall be the fate of Tanzania? Again, what shall be the future leaders look-like, what knowledge will the youths have and what kind of life they will possess if continue in such trends of excessive drinking and drugs taking?

One-day, August, 2024 walked in one of the Dar-es-Salaam city center Streets, I came across four-youth and one girl. Immediately slowed down my walking paces; watching what was happening. Indeed, it was a scene of drinking spree using one bottle in turn; also they were smoking something ‘twisted/wrapped’ puffing one-after-another. 

I became stunned by such a situation. Ahead of me was a grown-up woman walking towards me and after greeting each other; I inquired from her, if what I saw youths doing was right? The woman immediately said “that is the real situation facing our children” and further lamented “may God have mercy to our youths in Tanzania because their minds are already twisted”.

It is important to pray to God, but based on the Will God vested to humanities: for making appropriate decisions/choices. For instance, what to do, what to eat, what to drink, how to dress and/or how to live decently is up-to the person him/herself! Therefore, it is upon each person, over 18 years, to be highly responsible for own lifestyle. 

Humans are living on one planet earth but differing inabilities to make right decisions to live comfortably and without deviating to the point of losing ‘mental health’. It is not the issues of God, if youths in Tanzania indulge themselves into excessive drinking alcohol and are using intoxicating-drugs; all blames should be upon themselves. 

My request to the government, consumption 'excessive alcohol' including 'intoxicating drugs', must be highly contained. Concrete measures should be undertaken to increase the prices of all 'alcohols' also to ensure that intoxicating-drugs are highly controlled with virtuous intentions to save the nation’s workforce from sinking. 

Additionally, those who are legally proven to be doing illegal businesses should be severely punished without merciful considerations to escape impoverished situations within the country. A good nation requires strong and energetic youth, and intelligent citizens who fear and respect God as the source of knowledge but Tanzanians should circumvent evils otherwise the country will be cursed hence crucial to avoid entrenching the country into cursed situations.