BY THE ARUSHA NEWS REPORTER
A Police-supported youth programme to learn driving has enabled 114 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Arusha to get licences so that they could gainfully and lawfully be self employed. The youths were given their driving licences free of charge recently after passing road tests coordinated by the Regional Traffic Police.
Arusha Regional Traffic Officer (RTO), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ms Zauda Mohamed, said 126 youths had enrolled in the programme. However, only 114 of them satisfied the requirements from trainers in the end.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on October 28, 2026 Ms Zauda said the initiative sought to empower young people with skills and values as a strategy to fight road rage and carnage .
She urged the new drivers to put road safety at the centre of their working life and comply with traffic regulations and other road safety instructions, always demonstrating responsible behaviour behind the wheel.
ACP Zauda also called for wider support from individuals and organisations to help disadvantaged people acquire skills and become economically independent.
For programme beneficiary, Ms Emiliana Frank, a former Soweto car wash girl, getting a licence marked a new beginning in her life. She said the qualification would sharpen her opportunities to earn a descent income. ACP Zauda said most beneficiaries were former street children, some of whom worked as parking boys and market porters. Also, at least one of them came from the Kijenge area Kindness Orphanage, she added.
Road traffic accidents and fatalities in Tanzania remain a major public health and safety concern, driven by human behaviour, vehicle conditions and infrastructure challenges. Recent data showed over 1,715 road deaths in a year, or roughly five persons per day, which is by any standards just too high.
