Govt hailed for provision of free legal aid services

MOROGORO: MOROGORO residents have commended the government for providing free legal aid services, saying the initiative not only helps low-income citizens access legal services but also plays a significant role in reducing social conflicts arising from issues such as inheritance, marriage and land disputes.

The remarks were made in Morogoro during the launch of a two-day Legal Aid Clinic, where services were provided through various government institutions, including the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) and the National Identification Authority (NIDA). In addition to legal aid services, residents also benefited from various legal awareness programmes.

Speaking at the launch, one of the beneficiaries, Ms Amina Shabani, praised the government for continuing to improve and bring legal aid services closer to citizens, in line with the directives of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

She also appealed for the programme to be sustained, noting that many citizens cannot afford the costs associated with accessing legal services.

“We sincerely thank the Government, through various institutions including RITA, for establishing this programme, which touches the lives of many Tanzanians, especially low- income earners who are in need of legal aid,” said Ms Amina.

She added that it is important for the campaign to continue and reach more citizens, including those living in rural and remote areas. Similarly, Mr Kombo Muya said he was impressed by the birth certificate issuance exercise conducted by RITA, noting that it has reduced the inconvenience of following up on such documents, particularly for citizens living far from the agency’s offices.

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“Besides birth certificate services, I am also impressed by dispute resolution services related to marriage, land, inheritance and gender-based violence, as well as the provision of legal representation. These services directly impact the lives of many Tanzanians, especially those with low incomes,” said Mr Muya.

On her part, Ms Faudhia Saidi, a resident of Kichangani in Morogoro Region, praised the government’s efforts, saying they have brought services closer to the people.

“Through this clinic, I was able to obtain my child’s birth certificate within a short time, which saved me the inconvenience of following it up at the district office,” said Ms Saidi.

She also commended the legal awareness programme, saying it significantly helps reduce community conflicts, particularly those related to inheritance, marriage, and divorce. Meanwhile, Mr Emanuel Semba from Kilombero District said that through the clinic he learned how to use the digital e-RITA system, which enabled him to obtain his child’s birth certificate using his mobile phone.

“Through the e-RITA system, I was able to obtain a birth certificate within 48 working hours. This clearly demonstrates how well the Government has planned to coordinate, supervise, and strengthen legal aid service systems to ensure citizens access services in a timely manner,” said Mr Semba.

For her part, the Regional Coordinator from RITA, Ms Salima Ruhaka, said that through the clinic, thousands of citizens successfully accessed various services, including birth certificate services.

“RITA is fully prepared to ensure that all Tanzanians access various services, including birth certificates, as this is their legal right,” emphasised Ms Ruhaka.

She added that through the programme of issuing birth certificates within 48 hours launched by the Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Dr Juma Homera, RITA registered 6,864 citizens for birth certificate services. Of these, 5,462 citizens equivalent to 80 per cent met the required criteria, while 1,130 citizens, equivalent to 20 percent, did not meet the criteria.

The Legal Aid Clinic, which brought together key stakeholders including the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), State Attorneys, the Police Force through the Gender Desk, and experts from the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, is part of the Sixth Phase government’s initiative to bring essential services closer to citizens.