Understanding Violent Extremism and Criminality Nexuses In Tanzania

Abstract

Abstract:The push and pull factors of violent extremism underline the material and ideological motivations of VE. Economic incentives have inspired youth to join extremist groups. In Tanzania, the police often branded VE-related episodes as banditry. In the view of the police, what happened is normal criminality since there has never been any known extremist group that declared presence. Based on the position of the police, it could be said that there are indicators that VE happened through a loose extremist network – but it has not reached the level of constituting a known extremist group. Less known, however, is how this loose extremist network sustained itself financially. This paper, which is based on qualitative research in Mwanza and Tanga regions, Tanzania, discovered the presence of close relationship between episodes of criminality and VE. Findings revealed that incidents of criminality, for example, robbery of mobile money shops, supermarkets, kiosks and motorcycles increased in the hotspot areas where VE-related incidents were reported. A loose network of extremist group turned into criminal activities to access financial resources and food. Findings call for the need to understand and deal with VE wholistically – for example, establishing how it links to criminal elements and networks.