Road traffic offences surge by over 70 percent in Zanzibar, major criminal cases drop

This is an increase of 11,870 cases—equivalent to 70.4 percent, he said.

“It reflects the scale of challenges we continue to face on the roads, and the amount of work we still have as the police force,” said Mr Kombo.

According to the police, the number of fatalities resulting from road accidents remained constant at 96 in both 2024 and 2025, while 150 people sustained injuries. The regions with the highest number of cases include North Unguja and Urban West.

Speaking on the issue, director general of the Zanzibar Land Transport and Safety Authority, Mr Haji Ali Zubeir, attributed the rise to driver negligence and disregard for road safety regulations.

He noted that legal action is ongoing against those responsible for traffic offences, including permanent licence revocations, fines, and other legal penalties under the Road Offences Act No. 7 of 2003.

“In June alone, 187 driving licences were permanently revoked—162 belonging to motorcycle riders and 25 to vehicle drivers—due to serious violations of traffic regulations,” said Mr Zubeir. He said these were the only figures currently available, pending further review of other monthly records.

Some stakeholders in the transport sector, however, blamed both driver negligence and the failure of traffic police to enforce the law consistently.

Transport stakeholder Aisha Abdallah Haji criticised traffic officers for focusing mainly on passenger overloads in public transport vehicles while ignoring other violations such as speeding and vehicle defects.

“This is a serious issue. Officers often check only for excess passengers, but overlook the poor mechanical condition of vehicles, which also contributes to road accidents,” she said.

Another stakeholder, Ussi Abubakar Said, pointed out that many drivers ignore pedestrian road signs, most of which have faded and not been restored for long periods.

“Most of the safety markings, such as pedestrian crossings, are missing on our roads. This is not only due to driver negligence but also administrative failure to maintain road infrastructure,” he said.

During the 19th session of the House of Representatives, Deputy Minister for Works, Communication and Transport, Mr Nadir Abdulatif, responded to MPs’ concerns about the lack of pedestrian signs. He cited ongoing road construction projects as the primary reason.

Zanzibar is currently undertaking the construction of 100.9 kilometres of urban roads and 275 kilometres of rural roads, with over 800 kilometres of new roads being developed across Unguja and Pemba.

He, however, acknowledged that in some areas signs have been installed where deemed necessary, but most pedestrian crossings, including zebra markings, are still missing.

Major criminal offences decline

Commissioner Kombo reported that major criminal offences fell by 27.7 percent, from 1,652 cases between January and June 2024 to 1,195 during the same period in 2025—a reduction of 457 cases.

He credited this improvement to intensified public awareness campaigns at the local level (shehia) and through both public and private media, helping communities understand the consequences of criminal behaviour.

Crimes against persons fell by 33.1 percent—from 611 cases in 2024 to 409 this year. These included murder, rape, and sodomy. Reported rape cases dropped from 34 in 2024 to 26 in 2025.

A total of 338 rape-related cases were recorded, down from 468—a reduction of 27.8 percent. According to Mr Kombo, the causes of such crimes include moral decay and lustful desires.

“There is still a problem where young girls perceive themselves as adults. Yet, under the law, a girl between 11 and 18 years is still considered a minor—even if she consents to sexual activity,” he explained.

Of the 338 rape-related cases, 222 involved girls and boys or consensual partners. However, legally, a girl under 18 is still a child, making the remaining 116 cases the actual statutory rape incidents.

He said one major challenge in prosecuting rape cases is the reluctance of victims to testify. “Some girls deny having been raped and defend the accused as consensual partners, even refusing to identify them in court,” he said.

Cases of sodomy also dropped significantly—from 108 in 2024 to 42 in 2025, representing a 61 percent decline.

In property-related crimes, there were 755 reported cases in 2025, down from 935 in 2024—a 19.2 percent reduction. However, incidents involving motorcycles and livestock theft increased. Livestock theft rose to 195 cases from 177 last year—an increase of 10.2 percent.

Burglary cases decreased from 439 in 2024 to 283 in 2025, a drop of 35.5 percent.

Between January and June 2025, a total of 317 cases resulted in successful court rulings, 182 were dismissed, 68 were dropped at the police station level, 38 were under review by the Director of Public Prosecutions, 21 were referred to the Zanzibar Drug Control and Enforcement Authority, 210 were still under investigation, and 359 were ongoing in court.