INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE, SECURITY SERVICES AND CIVIL SOCIETY

This report, published by the Institute for Security Studies in 2006, examines the evolution of civil-security relations in Tanzania from the post-independence era through the transition to multi-party democracy. It analyzes the historical politicization of the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force (TPDF) under the one-party state, the subsequent recommendations for security sector reform (SSR) by the Nyalali Commission, and the grassroots perceptions of various security organs. The document also details the specific political and security conflicts in Zanzibar and the reconciliation efforts known as Muafaka I and II.

• Between 1961 and 2004, Africa experienced 80 successful coups and 181 failed attempts, indicating that the military often remains a threat to democracy and frequently serves as an elite protection force rather than contributing to individual security.
• Following the January 1964 mutiny, the Tanzanian government deliberately politicized the military by establishing the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force (TPDF) as a 'people's army' integrated with the ruling party (TANU/ASP, later CCM). This included making membership in the party compulsory for recruitment and posting party cadres into the military to inculcate ideology.
• The 1987 institutionalization of the ruling party (CCM) within the armed forces, police, and prison services as 'Mkoa wa Majeshi' represented the peak of military politicization, which the report argues eroded professional military character and undermined command structures.
• The Nyalali Commission, established in 1991, recommended a transition to multi-party democracy, which included the repeal of 40 pieces of repressive legislation and the 'de-coupling' of the ruling party from state institutions, including the civil service and security sector.
• Despite the Nyalali Commission's recommendations, political opposition and civil society perceive that the ruling party has been slow to distance itself from the security sector, maintaining influence over security organs and delaying the repeal of repressive laws.
• Grassroots perceptions of the Tanzanian police are characterized by a belief that low-ranking officers are poorly paid and live in miserable conditions, which leads to widespread petty corruption where officers are viewed as being 'for sale'.
• The Field Force Unit (FFU) is perceived by the public as professional and loyal to the government, but also as being 'unnecessarily brutal' when dealing with civil demonstrations and peaceful protests.
• The Zanzibar conflict, particularly following the 2000 elections, was driven by allegations of vote-rigging and political corruption by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), leading to violence in January 2001 that resulted in 31 deaths according to a Presidential Commission.
• Reconciliation in Zanzibar was pursued through two agreements: Muafaka I (1999), which largely failed due to a lack of political will and monitoring, and Muafaka II (2001), which has seen significant implementation, including the reformation of the ZEC and the 2003 Pemba by-election.
• The report suggests that for sustainable security sector reform in Tanzania, the government should move toward a more transparent, consultative process, potentially involving the World Bank or other professional research institutes to validate the separation of the party from the security organs.

APA

Rupiya, M., Lwehabura, J., Le Roux, L., Mahanga, M. M., Luanda, N., Kilaini, M., & Mpangala, G. P. (2006). INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE, SECURITY SERVICES AND CIVIL SOCIETY. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MONO128FULLPDF.PDF

Chicago

Rupiya, Martin, Jonathan Lwehabura, Len Le Roux, Milton Makongoro Mahanga, Nestor Luanda, Method Kilaini, and Gaudens P. Mpangala. INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE, SECURITY SERVICES AND CIVIL SOCIETY. Institute for Security Studies, 2006. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MONO128FULLPDF.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rupiya |first1=Martin |last2=Lwehabura |first2=Jonathan |last3=Le Roux |first3=Len |last4=Mahanga |first4=Milton Makongoro |last5=Luanda |first5=Nestor |last6=Kilaini |first6=Method |last7=Mpangala |first7=Gaudens P. |title=INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE, SECURITY SERVICES AND CIVIL SOCIETY |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=December 2006 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MONO128FULLPDF.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rupiya2006investigating, author = {Rupiya, Martin and Lwehabura, Jonathan and Le Roux, Len and Mahanga, Milton Makongoro and Luanda, Nestor and Kilaini, Method and Mpangala, Gaudens P.}, title = {{INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE, SECURITY SERVICES AND CIVIL SOCIETY}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2006}, month = dec, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MONO128FULLPDF.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }