Government saves over 316bn/- in legal battles

DODOMA: THE Office of the Solicitor General has saved the government a total of 316.28bn/- between July 2025 and March 2026, funds that would have been paid out had the State lost various legal claims.

Solicitor General Dr Ally Possi revealed this yesterday in Dodoma during the second meeting of the Third Workers’ Council for the 2025/26 financial year.

He said the office handled 10,401 civil cases during the period, including 9,663 national, 34 international and 704 constitutional and human rights matters. Out of these, 641 cases were concluded, with the government winning 565, equivalent to an 88.1 per cent success rate.

Dr Possi added that an additional 6.81bn/- and 418.17 million US dollars (about 1.09tri/-) were saved through arbitration cases, noting that these were funds the government would have paid had it lost the disputes. He said the office handled 251 arbitration cases, including 221 national and 30 international, with 18 concluded.

He also said the office managed 76 election petitions arising from the October 2025 General Election, including 44 parliamentary and 32 councillorship cases. Of the 43 cases filed in Mainland Tanzania, 39 have been concluded, all in favour of the government, representing a 100 per cent success rate. Four cases remain pending, while another 37 petitions are still before courts in both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

“This victory has reinforced the credibility of the electoral process and spared the government the cost of repeating elections,” he said, adding that 13 related judicial review applications were also filed.

Dr Possi noted that the office strengthened pre-litigation procedures by handling 765 statutory 90-day notices, preparing 23 legal analyses and convening several negotiation meetings.

He said these efforts give government a chance to settle disputes out of court and avoid unnecessary legal costs, interest and penalties, while also boosting investor confidence through amicable dispute resolution.

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He highlighted key upgrades to the Case Information Management System (CIMS), including new modules for case registration, correspondence tracking, reporting, digitisation of old cases and automated file creation. The improvements aim to enhance speed, accuracy and integration with justice-sector systems.

The e-Library has also been upgraded with an offline pocket library, allowing access to legal materials without internet connectivity. It now runs on a modern DSpace platform with improved speed, security and digital resource management, and is linked to global legal databases including Ebscohost, Emerald Insight, Oxford Journals, Sage and JusMundi.

Between July 2025 and March 2026, the system recorded 187,930 visits, averaging 1,200 daily users. Opening the meeting on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, Deputy Permanent Secretary Dr Franklin Rwezimula commended the office for professionalism and patriotism.

“The government recognises and deeply appreciates your contribution in safeguarding national resources and interests,” he said, noting that President Samia Suluhu Hassan values the office’s role in protecting public funds and representing the State locally and internationally.

He said the billions of shillings saved through the office’s work enable government to channel more resources into development priorities. He assured continued government support in strengthening ICT systems, saying: “As a ministry, we will continue to support you despite the challenges. I have taken note of the needs you presented, and we will work on them.”