Big success for Mama Samia legal aid campaign in Rukwa

RUKWA: THE Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign has successfully resolved 26 out of 65 conflicts in Nkasi District, Rukwa Region, between February 26th and March 5th this year.

The remaining cases have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for further resolution.

This initiative has directly benefited 15,107 people, including 7,469 women and 7,638 men.

Officially launched an Rukwa on February 25th, a team of legal aid providers visited 40 wards across four councils— Nkasi, Kalambo, Sumbawanga District and Sumbawanga Municipality covering 120 villages over a span of ten days.

Coordinator of the campaign team in Nkasi District and a representative from the Law Leadership College in Lushoto, Mr Rodgers Ndyanabo disclosed these achievements in his report, which was submitted to Nkasi District Commissioner (DC) and Nkasi District Council Executive Director (DED).

During the ten-day campaign, which ran from February 26th to March 5th, the Mama Samia Legal Aid team conducted public rallies in ten wards across Nkasi District, covering 30 villages. The ten wards involved were Orongwe, Kabwe, Kirando, Itete, Mkinga, Mkwamba, Sintali, Kala, Kate and Kinzumbi.

Mr Ndyanabo provided a breakdown of the beneficiaries, noting that 11,282 children under the age of seven, 2,366 youths aged 18-35, 1,184 adults aged 36-59 and 270 seniors over 60 were reached by the campaign.

“The campaign involved offering public education on human rights, dignity and respect,” said Mr Ndyanabo. “We also provided legal aid in marriage disputes, inheritance matters, governance, gender-based violence, child support and community-wide legal education.”

He also said that during the campaign, the team worked to meet the public’s needs in areas such as marriage disputes, inheritance issues, land disputes and other legal matters.

Focusing on the types of cases handled, Mr Ndyanabo singled out land disputes, wills and inheritance conflicts, marital issues, gender-based violence and child abuse as prevalent concerns.

“During the campaign, the team of legal aid providers not only provided legal education but also resolved longstanding disputes, ensuring justice for individuals who could not afford legal services,” he said.

Mr Ndyanabo further explained that out of the 65 conflicts received by the campaign team, 15 have been handed to the judiciary system, 24 to the administrative system and 26 were resolved through arbitration.

“The campaign team in Nkasi District has successfully resolved 26 conflicts, which accounts for 40 per cent of the total cases received. The remaining 39 cases, or 60 per cent, have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for further resolution,” he noted.

The initiative has also helped the government identify challenges faced by rural communities. One issue revealed by the team was the unbalanced distribution of teachers, as many are drawn to urban areas, leaving rural schools underserved.

“The team discovered significant shortages of matrons in co-educational primary and secondary schools, which complicates efforts to combat gender based violence affecting female students,” he added.

Mr Ndyanabo stated that the initiative has strengthened access to justice for the general public in Nkasi District. “Furthermore, the provision of legal aid during the campaign has raised awareness about legal issues, human rights and the rights of women and children,” he said.

The campaign provides legal aid to men and women experiencing abuse by their partners, children deprived of basic rights by their parents or guardians and disabled individuals facing mistreatment, along with counselling and training on protective laws.

During the Law Day festivities at Chinangali Park in Dodoma earlier this year, President Samia Suluhu Hassan praised the judiciary for its efforts in reducing the backlog of cases. She stressed the importance of fast-tracking legal processes, particularly for commercial disputes, to foster peace and attract investments.

In her speech, President Samia highlighted the success of the Mama Samia Legal Aid initiative, which has resolved hundreds of conflicts over the past year.

These conflicts covered a broad range of issues, including land disputes, marital problems, child custody, inheritance, sexual violence and civil justice.

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President Samia also championed the use of arbitration to strengthen access to litigation rights, urging legal aid organisations and the Law School to accelerate the training of arbitration professionals.

She called for a cooperative efforts with those involved in arbitration to identify areas for improvement and consider the establishment of an arbitration policy.