Zanzibar — THE government of Zanzibar plans to spend over 79bn/- on the construction of 698 police stations nationwide as part of a strategy to strengthen the safety of citizens and their property.

The announcement was made by Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Ayoub Mohammed Mahmoud, during his inspection tour of police station construction projects in Zanzibar. He said the decision was made after the Government recognized the need to bring police services closer to the people in order to enhance efficiency in maintaining security and protection.

He explained that national assessments indicate the country requires a total of 3,900 police stations. However, as a starting point, the Government has prioritized the construction of 698 stations in areas facing greater security challenges.

The Deputy Minister further clarified that the TSh 79 billion project will be implemented in three phases. The first phase involves the construction of 196 stations, the second phase 213 stations, and the third phase 212 stations.

He added that funding for the project will come from the central Government budget as well as the Police Force Reward and Fees Fund.