President Samia Suluhu Hassan has issued key directives to the police force aimed at strengthening public safety and addressing the growing crime rates in Tanzania.
To combat the growing threat of financial fraud, particularly online scams, President Samia pointed to the increase in digital transactions as a key driver for new criminal methods.
She revealed that in 2023 alone, over 5bn/- was lost to fraud, with the police recovering only 288m/-.
President Samia urged the police force to develop a comprehensive strategy to tackle cyber fraud as the government shifts towards a cashless economy.
"It is essential for the police to have a strategy to combat online fraud and we must collaborate with the relevant ministries to equip our police force with the tools needed to address this issue," she said.
President Samia also urged the police to enhance road safety measures, following alarming statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that show a rise in road fatalities between 2022 and 2023.
According to the NBS, road accidents increased slightly from 1,720 in 2022, which claimed 1,545 lives, to 1,733 in 2023, resulting in 1,645 deaths. This brings the total number of fatalities over the past two years to 3,190.
"The rise in road accidents is largely attributed to human error, poor vehicle conditions and inadequate infrastructure. These issues must be addressed urgently," President Samia said.
She noted that 37.9 per cent of last year's accidents were caused by drivers' negligence, 21.2 per cent by speeding and 13 per cent by careless motorcycle riders--all factors within the police's control to rectify.
The president also said there is a need for the police to shift their focus on criminal investigations and control mechanisms and adapt to technological advancements.
She cited the NBS report on cybercrime, which saw a 36.1 per cent increase from 1,006 cases in 2022 to 1,369 by December 2023. Crimes such as spreading false information, distributing pornography images and online harassment were on the rise.
"With the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital platforms, the police must be well-prepared to tackle crimes related to misinformation, especially as we approach local and general elections," President Samia said.
She highlighted the potential rise in politically motivated cybercrime, including defamation, hate speech and false allegations.
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"We are not advocating for the shutdown of social media or silencing citizens' opinions. However, we cannot turn a blind eye to crimes committed online. Crime is crime, whether it happens online or offline and the same legal measures should be applied," she added.
As Tanzania gears up for the upcoming local government and general elections, President Samia stressed the importance of maintaining national unity and security throughout the election periods. She urged the police to remain vigilant before, during and after the elections to ensure peace and stability.
In her directives to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police, the president called for the continued implementation of recommendations to strengthen the criminal justice system, particularly those that do not require legislative changes or significant budget increases.
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She further urged the police to utilise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve efficiency and crime control.
Among the initiatives she highlighted were the "safer city" projects, mandatory vehicle inspections to reduce road accidents and highway patrols. She stressed the importance of building the capacity of officers to implement these projects effectively.
Minister for Home Affairs, Hamad Masauni, expressed satisfaction with the police force's progress, noting that many of the directives given by President Samia in the previous year's meeting had been successfully implemented.
