Dar es Salaam is currently a city on edge as the government has moved swiftly to deploy soldiers and police officers across the city and other major urban centres just days before planned demonstrations.
The protests, which are scheduled for July 7, are being organized by various youth groups who say they are tired of the political status quo and are demanding real change.
The young demonstrators have made it clear that they want to see democratic reforms put in place and justice for those who lost their lives during the chaos that followed last year's disputed general election.
Many Kenyans will remember how the situation unfolded in our neighbouring country, with tensions running high and lives being lost in the process.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was declared the winner of that election with nearly 98 percent of the votes cast, has been facing mounting pressure from critics who argue that the electoral process was far from free and fair.
The fact that several key opposition candidates were disqualified from contesting the election raised serious questions about the credibility of the entire exercise.
What has really rubbed people the wrong way is how the opposition was effectively locked out of the race, leaving President Hassan to cruise to victory with a margin that many find hard to believe.
International observers and local civil society groups have been vocal in their criticism, pointing out that such a landslide victory in a country with such diverse political opinions is simply not realistic.
The government, however, is not taking any chances with the upcoming protests. Authorities have gone ahead and banned all political rallies across the country, arguing that such measures are necessary to maintain public order and prevent the situation from spiraling out of control. They are saying that they have intelligence suggesting that the protests could turn violent if left unchecked.
It is a familiar story that we have seen play out in various parts of East Africa, where governments crack down on dissent in the name of preserving peace. The youth groups behind these demonstrations are insisting that they intend to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and that they are not looking for trouble.
But with security forces now visibly present on the streets and all political gatherings prohibited, the stage is set for a potential confrontation between the demonstrators and the authorities. Many residents in Dar es Salaam are watching the situation with bated breath, unsure of what the coming days will bring.
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