LUSAKA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The head of the police in Zambia on Tuesday appealed to the government for the recruitment of 3,000 new officers ahead of the 2026 general elections.

Raphael Musamba, the inspector-general of the Zambia Police, said the recruitment of more police officers was needed in order to provide adequate peace ahead of the elections.

"As you may be aware, the maintenance of peace and security during election period is a mammoth task requiring more police officers as some of our citizens take advantage to bring anarchy and instability to the nation," he said during a pass-out parade of 1,528 new police recruits.

The police chief appealed to the government for funds to recruit more officers in readiness for the general elections and pledged that the police were committed to ensuring security and peace in the country.

President Hakainde Hichilema said the government recognized the need for a robust police service in the maintenance of peace and security.

In a speech read for him by Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Jack Mwiimbu, the Zambian president said the government was committed to ensuring a well-trained and professional police service. He acknowledged that the demand for policing services has continued to grow largely due to population increase as well as rising economic and social activities.

In a ministerial statement presented to parliament in November last year, Mwiimbu said the police service in Zambia has a total of 21,944 officers policing a population of about 20 million people, representing a policing ratio of one police officer to 894 citizens. Enditem

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