Article Sidebar
Cybersecurity Readiness in Local Government Authorities: A Case Study of Municipal Councils in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Region cyber-attacks; Cybersecurity Implementation Effectiveness; Cyber Security Readiness; Key Factors; Local Government,
Main Article Content
Abstract
Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in Tanzania have increasingly relied on shared ICT
infrastructure, which heightens exposure to cyber risks. This study examines how
cybersecurity policies, risk management, human factors, and technology and infrastructure
shape cybersecurity readiness in five Dar es Salaam Municipal Councils, while also
assessing the mediating role of Cybersecurity Implementation Effectiveness (CIE). An
exploratory qualitative design was employed, with purposive sampling of 25 ICT staff and
system administrators. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and
documentary reviews, and thematically analysed with codes formulated into themes. The
findings reveal that readiness is associated with clear government and internal policies,
active risk management, human-factor enablers such as staff training and user compliance,
and infrastructure sophistication, including security tools and backup systems. However,
these determinants translate into higher readiness only where implementation is
effective—through regular audits, continuous training, enforcement, timely updates, and
practiced incident-response drills. Respondents also identified obsolete systems and
inconsistent policy adherence as critical barriers. The study concludes that strong policies,
skilled personnel, and advanced infrastructure are necessary but insufficient without
effective implementation, making CIE the decisive factor in turning plans into real
preparedness. The study recommends that LGAs institutionalize audits and compliance
checks, invest in sustained staff training, manage system life-cycles to retire outdated
assets, and allocate dedicated budgets for cybersecurity tooling and capability
development.
Article Details
References
Aliyu, A., Maglaras, L., He, Y., Yevseyeva, I., Lei, L., & Boiten, E. (2020). A Holistic Cybersecurity Maturity Assessment Framework for Higher Education Institutions in the United Kingdom. Applied Sciences, 10(10), 3660. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10103660
Borgman, B., & Choo, K. (2019). Cybersecurity readiness in the South Australian government. Computer Standards and Interfaces, 1-8. Retrieved May 9, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csi.2014.06.002
Dube, D., & Mohanty, R. (2020). Towards development of cybersecurity maturity model. International Journal of Business Information Systems, 3(1), 23-25. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBIS.2020.10014790
Ganin, A., Quach, P., Panwar, M., Collier, Z., Keisler, J., Marchese, D., & Linkov, I. (2020). Multicriteria decision framework for cybersecurity risk assessment and management. Risk Analysis, 183-199. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.12891
Global Militarization Indices. (2020).
Gorwa, R., & Smeets, M. (2019). Cyber Conflict in Political Science. A Review of Methods and Literature. 19-20.
Kitena, A., & Mshana, J. (2022). Factors Influencing Implementation Of Information Security System In Public Organizations: A Case Of Dar Es Salaam City Council.
Kothari, A. N., Arffa, M. L., Chang, V., Blackwell, R. H., Syn, W. K., Zhang, J., ... & Kuo, P. C. (2016). Osteopontin—a master regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 5(4), 39.
Kshetri, N. (2019). Cybercrime and Cybersecurity in Africa. Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 22(2), 77–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/1097198X.2019.1603527.
Kweka, J., & Sooi, F. (2022). The Role of Innovation and Technology Upgrading on Industrial and Export Competitiveness in Tanzania. REPOA, Dar es Salaam. Retrieved from https://www.repoa.or.tz/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/The-Role-of-Innovation-and-Technology-Upgrading-on-Industrial-and-Export-Competitiveness-in-Tanzania-Report-Web-Ready-.pdf
Ma, R. (2020). The effectiveness of Britain’s Cybersecurity. San Francisco: San Francisco State University.
Maimon, D. (2020). Maimon, D. (2020). Deterrence in cyberspace: An interdisciplinary review of the empirical literature. The Palgrave handbook of international cybercrime and cyberdeviance, 1-19.
Paganini, P. (2021). Reading INTERPOL, The African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2021. Lyon: World Press. Retrieved from https://cybersecurityworldconference.com
Manda, P. A., & Mkhai, E. (2016). ICT access and use in local governance in Babati town council, Tanzania. University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal, 11(2), 93-103.
Pereia, A., & Bobbert, Y. (2019). Cybersecurity Readiness: An Empirical Study of Effective Cybersecurity Practices for Industrial Control Systems. Scientific Journal of Research and Research Reviews. https://doi.org/10.33552/SJRR.2019.02.000536
Radanliev, P., & Burnap, P. (2021). Epistemological equation for analysing uncontrollable states in complex systems: quantifying cyber risks from the internet of things. Review of Social network Strategies, 381-411. https://doi.org /10.1007/s12626-021-00086-5
Shaaban, S., & Athumani, H. (2020). Assessing Strategies to Create Cyber Security Awareness among Employees of National Microfinance Bank in Tanzania. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, VIII (12), 250-259. Retrieved April 17, 2024 from https://ijecm.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/81214.pdf
Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA). (2022). Annual Report on Cyber Security. Retrieved from TCRA website.
Tanzania Cyber Security Task Force. (2023). Cyber Security Assessment of Local Government Authorities in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam: Tanzania Cyber Security Task Force
URT. (2022). President's Office Public Service Management and Good Governance: Government Cyber Security Strategy. Dodoma.
Versify. (2019). How to identify a cyber-security asset. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://www.versify.com/how-do-i-define-a-cyber-security-asset/