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The ‘Masai’ and miraa: public authority, vigilance and criminality in a Ugandan border town*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2009

Kristof Titeca
Kristof Titeca*
Affiliation:
Institute of Development Policy and Management, University of Antwerp, Lange Prinsstraat 21, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
*
Email: Kristof.Titeca@ua.ac.be
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Abstract

Recent studies on vigilante groups show how they often begin as popular schemes for imposing order, before degenerating into violent militias which contribute in turn to social and political disorder. The Masai, a group of khat sellers and consumers in the Ugandan border town of Bwera, represent a more complex case. By using vigilance tactics in the provision of security, the Masai actually help to shape public authority within Bwera town instead of creating institutional chaos. They also provide a range of services, imposing a degree of order on illegal cross-border activities in the area. However, a closer look at the Masai shows that their vigilance activities are mainly performed out of self-interest, as a quid pro quo enabling them to continue their illegal activities of smuggling, general criminality outside town and illegal drug use. Therefore they straddle the ‘crime or social order’ dynamic, representing a criminal gang of illegal drug traffickers which also provides services for public community interests. As such, they contribute to both order and crime.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 47 , Issue 2 , June 2009 , pp. 291 - 317
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

*

The field research for this paper was sponsored by the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek as part of PhD research. A draft was written while the author was a member of the Conflict Research Group/Centre for Third World Studies, Ghent University, and an earlier version was presented at the AEGIS European Conference on African Studies, 11.7.2007. I thank Andreas Mehler, Bruce Baker, Ruddy Doom, Koen Vlassenroot and particularly the two anonymous referees, Thomas Vervisch, Timothy Raeymaekers and Kate Meagher for their generous comments on earlier drafts of this article. The views expressed are entirely mine.

References

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Interviews

District security officer, Kasese town, Kasese, 15.10.2006, 21.11.2006.

Leading Masai member, Bwera, Kasese, 14.10.2008.

Local government official, Bwera, Kasese, 26.11.2006.

Local politician, Bwera, Kasese, 8.11.2006, 28.11.2006.

Local security officer, Bwera, Kasese, 16.11.2006.

Local trader 1, Bwera, Kasese, 27.05.2005.

Local trader 2, Bwera, Kasese, 9.10.2006, 3.11.2006.

Masai leader Jamali, Bwera, Kasese, 15.11.2006, 18.11.2006.

Masai member 1, Bwera, Kasese, 3.9.2006.

Masai member 2, Bwera, Kasese, 21.10.2006.

Masai member 3, Bwera, Kasese, 2.11.2006.

Motorcycle taxi driver, Bwera, Kasese, 23.10.2006.

Officer in charge (OC), town police station, Bwera, Kasese, 28.11.2006.

Police officer, Bwera, Kasese, 26.11.2006.

Police security officer, Bwera, Kasese, 19.11.2006.

Senior security officer, Bwera, Kasese, 10.09.2006.