Emergence of Youth Criminal Groups Popularly Known as Panya Road and Ubaya Ubaya in Tanzania: The Case of Dar es Salaam City and Zanzibar Town

Dr Fauzia Mohamed,Mussa Ali Mussa

doi:10.32861/rje.57.119.127

Abstract

This paper focused on analysis of emergence of criminal groups in Dar es Salaam city and Zanzibar town. Data collection was based on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Content analysis was used in analysis of data collected from the study. The study findings revealed that youths are vulnerable and susceptible to criminal activities due to corruption, fake promises from politicians, education systems, laxity of parental or guardians’ care and inspiration of children to live luxurious life. In addition, the study recommended to take proper moves that police operation and other government authorities undertake on use of force that cannot end such societal challenges. Instead, the government should provide education system, which is skilled oriented to enable young people to employ themselves. In addition, more efforts are needed to fight corruption from low level to high level of government system.

Highlights

Emergence of criminal gangs is a topical issue in both developed and developing countries where many criminal gangs emerged
The panya road practices constituted a “cult” situation, for instance, receiving and concealing stolen goods and properties, as it was noted in focus group discussions (FGDs) with panya road criminal gang member that, “Most of us came from Temeke District
In FGDs, a member of criminal gangs revealed that, “As a group we had disposed to criminal gang involvement because most of us thought to be marginalized, socially excluded, alienated or rejected from our families and such patterns made us as a group to be vulnerable to „panya road‟ formation” (FGDs/panya road)

Summary

Introduction

Emergence of criminal gangs is a topical issue in both developed and developing countries where many criminal gangs emerged. It is important for researchers who are social workers, sociologists, lawyers, political scientists and criminologists to identify such deviant groups so as to provide solutions to their control and eventual end. Most researchers are eager to know the origin and organization of criminal gangs and the way forward to solve their aftermath. Scholars accepted that both developed and developing countries have experienced criminal gangs in their countries. The gang is still employed to enforce the Gulf of Mexico Cartel to transfer illicit drugs at El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras (Godnick, 2018)

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Conclusion