Tanzania’s Surveillance Expansion: The Promise and the Challenges

Aerial view of the city of Dar-es-Salaam Photo/File

In 2024, Tanzania embarked on an ambitious plan to modernize its security infrastructure through an extensive surveillance expansion initiative. Known as the "Safer Cities" project, this undertaking reflects the country’s commitment to bolstering urban security and leveraging advanced technologies to address the challenges of crime and public safety.

The initiative aims to deploy 6,500 high-tech surveillance cameras in four major cities: Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Arusha, and Mwanza. Funded by a $145.2 million concessional loan from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the project is expected to significantly enhance the ability of Tanzanian law enforcement agencies to monitor and respond to criminal activities. However, this move has sparked a robust debate about the balance between security and privacy, as well as the broader implications of such pervasive surveillance.