Bukoba and Mwanza are on the shore of Lake Victoria—and Mwanza was town nearest to the British colonial office and at the time probably the larger of the two cities. As a result in 1922, the police in Bukoba were required to hang the condemned prisoners in Mwanza, which involved having three prison officers transport the prisoner to his execution by the ferries that operated between the cities. In other words, four third class tickets from Bukoba to Mwanza, and three tickets back to Bukoba.
In such a context, the Bukoba decided it needed its own gallows. As described in the memos below, an argument was made to the Commissioner of Police and Prisons in Dar Es Salaam, that erecting a gallows would pay for itself in a year, if the rate of executions was four per year as it had been in 1922. Doing their own executions in Bukoba would have, as a “responsible native” explained to the British District Officer in Bukoba, important benefits for security. This would be because “as the news of public execution by hanging or shooting has an extraordinary psychological effect on the native from end to end of the district.”
By the end of 1923, the gallows were erected, and Bukoba was proudly able to boast that on 7 November, 1923, five prisoners were hanged locally.
Extract from the monthly report for the month of April 1922
- 3 Crime
“ c. A responsible native, discussing the possible effect on public security arising from the transfer to Mwanza of all death sentences for execution, expressed his disagreement with the procedure, stating as his opinion that execution should be carried out not only locally but also in public, as the news of public execution by hanging or shooting has an extraordinary psychological effect on the native from end to end of the district. Similar opinions have been expressed to me at other times both in this district and elsewhere. It is hoped to produce an adequate effect by means of notices posted in all Courthouses, market and beer shops, throughout the district announcing the execution of a sentence of death on any local criminal.”
(sd) D. L. Baines
Senior Commissioner
Bukoba
7-26-22
Cost of Escorts and Fares.
Bukoba Executions at Mwanza
Pay of Escorts:-
1 Corporal 15 days…Shs. 23/-
3 Constables 15 “ …57/-Shs. 80
Fares
4 3rd class Return 47/68
1 “ “ Single 5/96
Four Executions for one year would cost Shs. 534/56
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND PRISONS
DAR ES SALAAM 2nd August, 1922
Telegrams: Crime
Telephone: 73
The Hon’ble
The Chief Secretary to the Government,
Dar-es-Salaam
Re: Gallows at Bukoba.
I have the honour to inform you that the Superintendent of Police, Mwanza has made urgent representations for the erection of gallows at Bukoba. When the question was first raised, I ascertained that last year there were only 4 executions from Bukoba which were carried out at Mwanza, and I did not think that this number justified a separate gallows at Bukoba.
- The Superintendent of Police, Mwanza has, however, been discussing this question further with the Senior Commissioner, who urges on Political grounds that executions should be carried out locally. In support thereof, I enclose an extract which has been forwarded to me from his monthly report for April 1922. The Superintendent of Police states that he will personally supervise the erection of these gallows which are supplied by the Public Works Department would be approximately 400/-.
- Further, he submits a statement showing that the cost of the escort and the fares between Bukoba and Mwanza in connection with the condemned man works out at Sh. 133/64 for 4 executions during the year quite apart from the question of delay in carrying out executions. I think in these circumstances, the Superintendent of Police has made out a good case in support of his request, and accordingly I recommend that sanction should be given for the erection of the gallows at Bukoba.
Signature illegible
Commissioner
Tanganyika Police and Prisons
From THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND PRISONS
DAR ES SLAAAM, TANGANYIKA TERRITORY
Ref. No. H. Q. 55/D/23/16
To: The Hon’ble
The Chief Secretary to the Government, Dar-es-Salaam
Date 18th December, 1923
Execution by Hanging-Bukoba
I have the honour to inform you that the gallows erected at Bukoba are complete, and that execution by hanging can now be carried out in that prison.
- Five such executions were so carried out at Bukoba on 7.11.1923.
But a problem will emerge—the best-laid plans of the British in Bukoba to undertake executions will be undermined, and the practice in Bukoba, at least, by 1924 or 1925 had ceased. More on the reason why next week, in the final extract (for now) from Gallows File V, The Hanging File of Tanganyika.
Previous Postings in this series
Tony Waters is czar and editor of Ethnography.com. He came to us from the Sociology department at California State University at Chico where he has been a professor since 1996. In 2016 though he suddenly found himself with a new gig at Payap University in northern Thailand where he is on the faculty of the Peace Studies Department. He has also been a guest professor in Germany, and Tanzania. In the past, his main interests have been international development and refugees in Thailand, Tanzania, and California. This reflects a former career in the Peace Corps (Thailand), and refugee camps (Thailand and Tanzania). His books include: Crime and Immigrant Youth (1999), Bureaucratizing the Good Samaritan (2001), The Persistence of Subsistence Agriculture: Life Beneath of the Marketplace (2007), When Killing is a Crime (2007), and Schooling, Bureaucracy, and Childhood: Bureaucratizing the Child (2012). His hobby is trying to learn strange languages–and the mistakes that that implies. Tony is a prolific academic, you can read more of his work at academia.edu.or purchase one (or more!) of his books from Amazon.com.