Police officers not enough, says Silima

Pereira Ame Silima, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs

Tanzania has a shortage of 48,011 police officers, resulting in the country’s failure to meet the required international standard ratio of 1: 400-500 of policemen to the general public.
Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Pereira Ame Silima The made this affirmation in the National Assembly yesterday when responding to a question by Hussein Mussa Mzee (Jang’ombe - CCM) who wanted to know the ratio between law enforcers and the general public and how far this falls short of requirements.

The deputy minister said that the Police Force has an estimated 38,847 members in the force and about 3000 undergoing training at the Police College in Moshi, Kilimanajaro region.

“As per the August 2012 national census the country had 44,929,002 population, amongst whom 43,925 434 were on the Mainland and 1, 303,568 in Zanzibar. From those figures the ration between policemen and general public is 1: 1,156, implying that one police officer guards 1,156 people,” he stated. “The international acceptable ratio is for one police officer to look after 400 to 500 people. In order to meet the international ratio we are supposed to have at least 89,858 police officers. Based on those ratio figures the police force has a shortage of 48,011 police officers, he elaborated.

The government has been striving to curb the shortage of police force members by employing newly trained policemen and women.

“For instance the number of police officers has gone up from 28,000 in 2006 to 38,000 by late last year, and more than 3000 police are being trained at Moshi Police College,” he told the House.

Responding to a supplementary question from MP Mzee he said that the Police Force has a total of 7450 women officers who make just 19 per cent of the force. The government would look into the possibility of raising that number as part of ‘affirmative action’ to redress gender imbalanaces.

Silima told the House when responding to Vincent Nyerere (Musoma Urban - Chadema) that his office would work on the idea that the police workforce be expanded at rate of 8.6 percent annually to correspond needs arising from further economic activities. He said that would depend on the availability of funds.

In the meantime deputy minister Silima said the Police Force will continue with its educational campaign in Zanzibar so as they realize the importance of maintaining peace and order in their respective areas. He said Zanzibar people have trust in the police as it has dealt appropriately with recent incidents which to a certain extent posed a threat to the country’s peace.

He was responding to a question by Tauhida Nyimbo (Special Seats - CCM) who wanted to know government initiatives to restore the lost public trust on the police due to the recent deadly incidents in the Isles.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN