Addressing the challenges of law enforcement in Africa

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the structural and institutional weaknesses of law enforcement in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia. It identifies common challenges across these states, including politicization, severe resource shortages, corruption driven by poor pay, and a lack of public trust. The document provides specific recommendations for legislative reform, increased budgetary allocations, and the adoption of specialized units to improve human rights and victim support.

• Law enforcement in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia faces systemic issues including politicization, where government members use police for personal agendas, and chronic understaffing and inadequate transport and communication infrastructure.
• The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is severely under-resourced and understaffed, with a force of 9,652 members, which is less than 70% of the UN-recommended level of one officer per 400 people. The force is hampered by an obsolete Police Act from 1964 and high levels of corruption linked to poor officer remuneration.
• The Tanzania Police Force (TPF) suffers from poor investigation techniques and a lack of forensic expertise. It shares law enforcement duties with the 'Sungusungu' (people's militia), which lacks training and has been accused of violating rights and engaging in criminality.
• The Zambia Police Service (ZPS) has 13,000 personnel, which is less than half of the UN-recommended staffing level. The force is significantly impacted by HIV/AIDS, with a prevalence rate of approximately 16%, which places additional pressure on human resources.
• Zambia has implemented notable innovations in victim support and accountability, such as the Victim Support Unit (VSU) and the Public Police Complaints Authority (PPCA) established in 2003. However, the PPCA's effectiveness is limited, having dismissed 13 officers despite receiving 825 complaints.
• Public perception of police in these regions is generally negative due to perceived corruption and ineffectiveness. In Zambia, a 2003 survey showed over 50% of the public were dissatisfied, and more than 50% believe the police is the institution where bribery is most prevalent.

APA

Robins, S. (2009). Addressing the challenges of law enforcement in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/NO16OCT09.PDF

Chicago

Robins, Simon. Addressing the challenges of law enforcement in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2009. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/NO16OCT09.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Robins |first1=Simon |title=Addressing the challenges of law enforcement in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=October 2009 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/NO16OCT09.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{robins2009addressing, author = {Robins, Simon}, title = {{Addressing the challenges of law enforcement in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2009}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/NO16OCT09.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }