Current Science Research Bulletin

Vigilantism has increasingly emerged across sub-Saharan Africa as a response to perceived inadequacies in state-provided security and justice. This study examines its rise and implications for police legitimacy in Tanzania, focusing on Dar es Salaam and Mwanza. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with a sample of 50 respondents selected through simple random sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, applying ANOVA and Exploratory Factor Analysis. The findings indicate that delays in police response and socio-economic conditions are primary drivers of vigilantism, with socio-economic status ranked highest (RII = 0.704), while cultural factors were least significant (RII = 0.436). Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between perceptions of police legitimacy and support for vigilantism (p < 0.05). Additionally, community safety strategies, including community policing and improved accountability, were found to significantly mitigate vigilantism. The study concludes that strengthening police efficiency, institutional legitimacy, and the collaboration between the community and the police force is essential for reducing reliance on extralegal justice mechanisms.

Crimel; criminal justice; fairness; legal justice; police legitimacy; public safety; security; trust; vigilantism.

1. Abrahams, R. (1987). Sungusungu: Village vigilante groups in Tanzania. African Affairs, 86(343), 179–196.
2. Aina, F. (2024). Politics of "localised legitimacy", vigilantism, non-state policing and counter-banditry in Northwest Nigeria: Evidence from the epicenter. Journal of Applied Security Research, 19(1), 70–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/19361610.2023.2240281
3. Amakoh, K., & Msafiri, D. (2023). Tanzanians express trust in police, but cite shortcomings in professional conduct. Afrobarometer, 1–16.
4. Anderson, D. M. (2002). Vigilantes, violence and the politics of public order in Kenya. African Affairs, 101, 531–555.
5. Boateng, F. D., Pryce, D. K., & Abess, G. (2023). Legitimacy and cooperation with the police: Examining the empirical relationship using data from Africa. Policing and Society, 32(3), 411–433. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2022.2037554
6. Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
7. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
8. Bukurura, S. H. (1994). The maintenance of order in rural Tanzania: The case of Sungusungu. The Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law, 26(34), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/07329113.1994.10756453
9. Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
10. Cross, C. (2014). Community policing and the politics of local development in Tanzania. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 52(3), 517–540. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022278X14000353
11. Cross, C. (2016). Ulinzi shirikishi: Popular experiences of hybrid security governance in Tanzania. Development and Change, 47(5), 1102–1124.
12. Elfversson, E., Ha, T., & Höglund, K. (2024). The urban–rural divide in police trust: Insights from Kenya. Policing and Society, 34(3), 166–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2023.2239430
13. Fleisher, M. L. (2000). Sungusungu: State-sponsored village vigilante groups among the Kuria of Tanzania. Africa, 70(2), 209–228. https://doi.org/10.3366/afr.2000.70.2.209
14. Guest, G., Namey, E., & Chen, M. (2020). A simple method to assess and report thematic saturation in qualitative research. PLoS ONE, 15(5), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232076
15. Heald, S. (2006). State, law, and vigilantism in northern Tanzania. African Affairs, 105(419), 265–283. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adi089
16. Human Rights Watch. (2020). Mob justice in Tanzania: Implications for human rights and the rule of law. HRW.
17. Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2015). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
18. Kudo, Y. (2020). Maintaining law and order: Welfare implications from village vigilante groups in northern Tanzania. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 178, 607–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2020.08.007
19. Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2015). Interviews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
20. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage Publications.
21. Mutahi, P., Hoglund, K., & Elfversson, E. (2024). Policing and citizen trust in Kenya: How community policing shapes local trust-building and collaboration. African Affairs, 123(492), 303–328. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adae018
22. Orb, A., Eisenhauer, L., & Wynaden, D. (2001). Ethics in qualitative research. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 33(1), 93–96.
23. Paciotti, B., & Mulder, M. B. (2004). Sungusungu: The role of preexisting and evolving social institutions among Tanzanian vigilante organizations. Human Organization, 63(1), 112–124.
24. Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42, 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y
25. Pósch, K., Jackson, J., Bradford, B., & Macqueen, S. (2021). "Truly free consent"? Clarifying the nature of police legitimacy using causal mediation analysis. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 17, 563–595. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-020-09426-x
26. Schwandt, T. A. (2014). The Sage dictionary of qualitative inquiry (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
27. Sunshine, J., & Tyler, T. R. (2003). The role of procedural justice and legitimacy in shaping public support for policing. Law & Society Review, 37(3), 513–548. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-5893.3703002
28. Tankebe, J. (2013). Viewing things differently: The dimensions of public perceptions of police legitimacy. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 51(1), 103–135. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427812461656
29. Tiwa, D. F. A. (2024). Institutional distrust trap: An analysis of the effect of public distrust in the Nigeria Police Force. Policing and Society, 34(8), 846–860. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2024.2341121
30. Tyler, T. R. (2003). Procedural justice and legitimacy. Crime and Justice, 30, 283–357. https://doi.org/10.1086/652233
31. Wilke, A. M. (2024). How the state discourages vigilantism: Evidence from a field experiment in South Africa. https://osf.io/87u4f
32. Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.