Tanzania fires 54 rogue police officers, warns 157

President John Maguful: Crackdown on rogue police officers. [File, Standard]

Fifty-four Tanzanian police officers were axed between January and June, President John Magufuli disclosed on Monday.

Speaking during the launch of 20 housing units for police officers in Geita region, Magufuli said that his administration would not tolerate any acts of indiscipline in the force.

He hailed the Inspector General of Police Simon Sirro's decision urging him to continue with the clean up the police force.

“Keep on being strict on the observation of discipline in the police force,” he said while addressing the IG, Tanzanian newspaper The Citizen reveals.

The Tanzanian Head of State further revealed that extra 157 police officers have already been warned. He revealed that some of the offences which led to the dismissal of the officers included torturing civilians, robbery and wrongfully implicating people.

President Magufuli is known for his ruthlessness as he reforms Tanzania.

On March 29, 2017, Magufuli sacked the then Inspector-General Ernest Mangu who was replaced by the former Dar es Salaam Police Special Zone Police Commander Simon Sirro.

The statement from the Directorate of Presidential Communication indicated that Mr Mangu would be assigned other duties.

As the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces, President Magufuli then swore in Mr Sirro as the new police boss.

The changes preceded a spate of killings where 31 people including politicians and security officers were among the victims.

Most affected areas were Rufiji, Kibiti, and Mkuranga in the Coastal region which had borne the brunt of the attacks.