Youth Identity and Political Engagement in Urban Tanzania,

Youth in urban Tanzania have been underrepresented in scholarly research despite their growing demographic presence and socio-economic influence. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 50 purposively sampled youths aged 18 to 30 from various urban centers across Tanzania. Themes emerged around how youth identity, defined by cultural heritage and aspirations for the future, significantly influenced their political participation in local governance and community issues. Youth engagement was found to be more pronounced when they perceived alignment between their personal values and those of the government or community leaders. Integrating youth-led initiatives into urban development planning could enhance inclusive governance and reduce social tensions. Urban Youth, Political Engagement, Identity Formation, Tanzania