Solidarity Beyond Borders: Understanding Local Rationales for Hosting Burundian Immigrants in Karagwe, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper examines the motivations influencing residents of Karagwe District, Tanzania, to host Burundian immigrants, often through informal arrangements that contrast with national immigration policies. The study addresses the following question, highlighting a gap in the existing literature: How do economic, cultural, and personal factors influence the decision of residents in Karagwe District to host Burundian immigrants despite restrictive national immigration policies? This question responds to the scarcity of integrated studies that holistically examine the interplay of motivations behind informal hosting within border communities. Using a convergent mixed-methods approach, the study combines statistical analysis of 371 survey responses with thematic interpretation of qualitative data from interviews with 24 participants. The findings indicate that hosting decisions arise from a complex interplay of economic pragmatism, shared cultural heritage, and deeply rooted personal and moral convictions. Local hosts benefit from the labour and economic participation of immigrants and view hosting as an extension of traditional values and historical kinship across borders. These motivations are conceptualised through Social Capital Theory, which emphasises the role of trust, networks, and collective identity in fostering inclusive behaviour. The study concludes by recommending policy reforms that harmonise legal frameworks with the lived realities of border communities, recognising that effective governance must integrate both formal institutions and informal solidarities.