UNDP Trains Community Safety Officers to Prevent Election Violence

The United Nations Development Programme, through its Deepening Democracy Project, is supporting the Zambia Police Service to strengthen the capacity of 25 Community Safety Unit officers to prevent electoral and political violence ahead of next week's general election, using community-centred policing approaches.

Inspector General of Police Graphel Musamba, addressing the training, described community policing as key to a peaceful election, coming at a moment when the police service has faced mounting scrutiny over its handling of campaign-related unrest in several provinces.

UNDP Regional Electoral Advisor Robert Gerenge, represented by UNDP Project Manager Takawira Musavengana, reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to supporting peaceful, inclusive and credible elections. Musavengana said preventing electoral and political violence requires sustained collaboration among law enforcement agencies, communities and development partners to safeguard democratic processes.

Commissioner of Police in Charge of Community Services Joseph Shamampota underscored the role Community Safety Unit Liaison Officers play in fostering dialogue, strengthening community partnerships and enabling early conflict prevention. Shamampota encouraged participants to apply the skills gained during the workshop to deepen community engagement and rebuild trust between the Zambia Police Service and the public.

The training forms part of a broader, longer-running UNDP partnership with the Zambia Police Service that has previously supported the force's first Gender Equality Workplace Policy, sexual and gender-based violence investigative training for hundreds of officers, and the launch of the police service's first communications strategy aimed at improving public trust.