An Assessment of the effectiveness of Counter- Terrorism measures: preventing and responding to terrorist threats in Zimbabwe.

Author

Makande , Tinashe.

Title

An Assessment of the effectiveness of Counter- Terrorism measures: preventing and responding to terrorist threats in Zimbabwe.

Abstract

The study aimed at an assessment of the effectiveness of counter-terrorism measures: preventing and responding to terrorist threats in Zimbabwe. The objectives of this study were to assess Zimbabwe's counter-terrorism laws adequacy in preventing terrorism, to establish the capacity of security organizations in investigating, detection and prevention of counter-terrorism in Zimbabwe, to examine operational effectiveness of counter-terrorism strategies in detection and prevention of terrorism in Zimbabwe and to determine the role of regional and global bodies in partnering Zimbabwe to counter-terrorism efforts. The study uses mixed approach methodology. The population of the study was 200. Were a sample of 60 participants was derived using both stratified and purposive sampling techniques. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview guide. From the study it was found that definitions of terrorist acts within Zimbabwe's counter-terrorism laws are often ambiguous and overly broad, challenges such as limited access to forensic tools, inadequate training and poor inter-agency coordination and operational effectiveness of counter-terrorism strategies remains largely limited. From the findings it is concluded that Zimbabwe’s counter-terrorism laws are not effectively contributing to the prevention of terrorism, overall capacity of security organizations in investigating, detecting and preventing counter-terrorism is perceived as relatively weak to moderate and Zimbabwe's counter-terrorism strategies are operationally constrained especially in the areas of early threat detection and proactive prevention. From the conclusions of the study, it is recommended to bridge the gap between legal adequacy and practical implementation, government should prioritize the enhancement of forensic capabilities and intelligence systems, alongside developing advanced surveillance technologies and to actively engage with international organizations and neighboring states.

Date

June 2025

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Effectiveness

Terrorism Measures

Preventing

Terrorist Threats

Supervisor

F.B Gombarume