AP-SSP Anthony Samson Msaghaa

Welcome Note

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the webpage of the Auxiliary Police Unit of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).

The Auxiliary Police Unit of UDSM is established in accordance with Section 129 of the Police Force and Auxiliary Services Act, Chapter 322 of the Laws of the United Republic of Tanzania. The Unit has a rich and distinguished history that is closely intertwined with the growth and evolution of the University itself. Its origins can be traced back to 1961, when a small security guard group provided protection at the TANU Building on Lumumba Street in Dar es Salaam, where the University began its academic journey with a single faculty, the Faculty of Law.

Following the establishment of the University of Dar es Salaam as a fully-fledged university in 1970 at the Mwalimu Nyerere Mlimani Campus, the same security group continued to serve the institution. In a bid to strengthen professionalism and capacity, the University in 1983 facilitated formal auxiliary police training for its security personnel at the Tanzania Police School in Moshi. This progressive effort culminated in 1986 with the University’s successful application to establish the University of Dar es Salaam Auxiliary Police Unit. In line with subsequent legal requirements, the Unit received formal approval from the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, in the year 2000. This approval was published in Government Gazette No. 469 of 2000.

The primary mandate of the Auxiliary Police Unit is to enforce the law and maintain peace, safety, and order across all University campuses and colleges. Its overarching objective is to ensure a secure environment that enables the uninterrupted pursuit of teaching, learning, research, and community engagement. In fulfilling this mandate, the Unit safeguards students, staff, visitors, and University property.

To effectively deliver on its responsibilities, the Auxiliary Police Unit provides a wide range of services, including enforcement of national laws as well as University bylaws and regulations; routine patrols and gate control; security services for senior University leadership; crowd and traffic control; fire prevention, firefighting, and safety training; riot control; protection of vital installations and critical infrastructure; supervision of contracted private security companies; arrest and court testimony services; and continuous surveillance through Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems.

In the execution of its duties, the Auxiliary Police Unit works in close collaboration with the Tanzania Police Force, which is mandated to guide, supervise, and oversee all Auxiliary Police Units in the country. Through this partnership, the Unit remains committed to professionalism, accountability, and service excellence in support of the University of Dar es Salaam’s mission and values.