The flurry of Crimes in Kibiti and Rufiji and the Quest for Effective Early Warning and Response Mechanism

Abstract

The flurry of violent crimes in Kibiti and Rufiji districts between the years 2015 and 2017 was unprecedented in the country. As a result of such incidences that seemed to have   argeted government and ruling party officers, the people of the two districts generated a sense of insecurity and the rest of the country was left in disbelief on what was happening in the area.   In such circumstances, it is worthy interrogating: What was the driving force for the serial violent crimes in the two districts?   And why did it take long for the government and communities to respond to such tendencies? This article argues that the emergency of unorthodox fanatical doctrines inspired the wave of violent criminal activities in the two districts. It also suggests that the perpetrators maintained their mission by generating resources through other forms of illicit activities. The article contends that limitations in existing early warning and response mechanisms affected the ability of the government and communities to detect and counter the occurrence of violent tendencies before they matured. The article suggests the re-establishment of Nyumba Kumi as a formal early warning and response mechanism against activities, which compromise peace and security in the communities and the country.        Keywords: Tanzania, Crimes, Violence, Security, Nyumba KumiJohn K. JinguSenior Lecturer, University of Dar Es Salaam, Email: jjingu@udsm.ac.tz