Other than the Tanganyika Rifles (formerly the colonial King's African Rifles), the police were the only armed force in Tanganyika, and on 20 January the police absence led the entire Rifles regiment to mutiny.
Förutom Tanganyika Rifles var polisen den enda beväpnade styrkan i Tanganyika, och den 20 januari ledde polisfrånvaron hela Tanganyika Rifles till myteri.