Dar es Salaam – In the bustling heart of Mbagala, one of Dar es Salaam’s most populous wards, a generation of young people is navigating a world of stark contrasts: a place of vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and crushing economic hardship, of ambitious dreams and the grim reality of street crime.
This complex duality was the central theme of the third “Dira Mtaani: Vijana Wanasemaje” youth talk, held in Mbagala Zakhem on February 21, 2026.
The dialogue, a collaboration between The Chanzo and the European Union Delegation in Tanzania, provided a platform for young residents to voice their aspirations, frustrations, and the daily challenges they face in a community that is both a land of opportunity and a breeding ground for desperation.
Mbagala, a sprawling urban settlement in the Temeke district of Dar es Salaam, is a microcosm of the opportunities and challenges facing urban youth across Tanzania.
With an estimated population of over 200,000, the majority of whom are migrants from other parts of the country, Mbagala is a melting pot of cultures, ambitions, and struggles.
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It is a place where, as one participant noted, you can get a meal for as little as Sh500, and where the sheer density of people creates a ready market for small-scale entrepreneurs.
Opportunities
Raymond Joel, a young man with dreams of becoming a company director, articulated this spirit of enterprise.
“Opportunities are problems that can be solved,” he said, explaining how the large population of single young men in Mbagala creates a demand for affordable food, a niche that many local women have filled by setting up small food stalls.
This informal economy, which accounts for a staggering 71.8 per cent of employment in Tanzania, is the lifeblood of Mbagala, providing a precarious livelihood for thousands.
Florid Mapunda, another participant, described Mbagala as the second most populated area in Dar es Salaam after Kariakoo, making it possible for young people to establish any business with a huge potential of taking them far.
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“For example, selling second-hand children’s clothes (mitumba) is a big opportunity,” Mapunda said. “Prices start at Sh500 or Sh1,000. A mother with Sh2,000 can walk away with a full bag.”
A darker reality
However, beneath this veneer of entrepreneurial hustle lies a darker reality. The same economic pressures that fuel the informal economy also drive many young people towards crime.
The conversation at the youth talk repeatedly returned to the issue of street crime, with participants sharing personal stories of being robbed on public transport and witnessing sophisticated pickpocketing operations in broad daylight.
Waridi, a young woman from Mbagala, described how organised gangs of thieves target commuters on crowded daladalas, the privately-owned minibuses that are the backbone of Dar es Salaam’s public transport system.
“They work in groups,” she explained. “One will distract you while another steals your belongings.” Her account was corroborated by Mama Nuu, who recounted how her son was robbed of his phone in a similar fashion.
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The prevalence of street crime in Dar es Salaam is a well-documented problem. A 2015 survey by Twaweza found that three out of ten citizens had experienced theft in the past year. The youth of Mbagala are not just victims of this crime wave; they are also, in many cases, the perpetrators.
The participants in the dialogue acknowledged that many young people turn to theft out of desperation, seeing it as the only way to survive in a city where formal employment opportunities are scarce, and the informal economy offers only a meagre existence.
Moral breakdown
This desperation is further compounded by a perceived breakdown in moral values and parental guidance. Raymond Joel lamented the lack of positive role models and the erosion of traditional parenting practices.
“Many parents have lost their way,” he said, arguing that the moral decay in society begins at home. His sentiments were echoed by others, who pointed to a growing disconnect between parents and their children and a failure to instil the values of hard work, discipline, and respect.
The government has acknowledged the need to address these issues, with the Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups recently calling for stronger family values and the government pledging to strengthen child upbringing.
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However, for the youth of Mbagala, these pronouncements often feel disconnected from their daily reality.
The “Dira Mtaani” talk in Mbagala has laid bare the complex and often contradictory realities of urban life for young Tanzanians.
It is a world where the entrepreneurial spirit coexists with the desperation of street crime, where ambitious dreams are tempered by the harsh realities of the informal economy, and where the future of a generation hangs in the balance.
