Govt marks legal sector milestones in four-years

DODOMA: MINISTER for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Dr Damas Ndumbaro has outlined key achievements in the legal sector during the four years of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration, citing enhanced access to justice, legal reforms and judicial infrastructure development as pillars of the sixth -phase government’s reform agenda.

Addressing journalists in Dodoma yesterday, Dr Ndumbaro said the government had significantly broadened the provision of legal aid services through the launch and implementation of the Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign, which has now reached 25 regions, 180 local government authorities, 1,907 wards and 5,702 villages and streets.

“So far, 2,698,908 citizens including 1,347,325 men and 1,351,583 women have been reached through direct legal education and services,” He revealed that since the introduction of Legal Aid Desks across the country, 6,427,738 people (2,905,356 men and 3,522,382 women) have received legal education and human rights awareness. To enhance coordination of legal aid services, the government has established 184 Legal Aid Desks in local government authorities, staffed with 449 newly employed officers.

“These desks enable citizens to lodge complaints and receive solutions to their legal challenges,” he said.

Dr Ndumbaro further revealed that the Attorney General’s Office has completed the verification of 300 out of 446 principal laws that were translated into Kiswahili, and the government has finalised the revision of all 446 principal laws, culminating in the 2023 Revised Edition of the Laws of Tanzania.

“This is the second time the country has published a revised edition since Independence. The first edition was released in 2002 with World Bank funding. What makes this historic is that President Samia has overseen the revision using domestic funds and local experts,” he explained.

The 2023 Revised Edition was officially launched by President Samia on April 23, 2025, and will come into force on July 1, 2025. Dr Ndumbaro said the move underpins the government’s commitment to good governance, the rule of law, and the strengthening of justice delivery systems.

ALSO READ: Tanzania explains why Kenyan lawyers denied entry

In terms of human resources, the number of judges has increased from 92 in 2021 (76 in the High Court and 16 in the Court of Appeal) to 146 by April 2025 (107 in the High Court and 39 in the Court of Appeal).

The number of magistrates has also risen slightly from 1,412 in 2021 to 1,426 in April 2025. Efforts to reduce case backlogs in the judiciary remain a priority.

The number of old cases in courts has been reduced to 2,780, representing only four per cent of the total pending cases. As part of its infrastructure development plan, the government has completed six Integrated Justice Centres in Dodoma, Morogoro, Mwanza, Arusha, Kinondoni and Temeke.

Nine other centres are under construction in Katavi, Songea, Songwe, Njombe, Simiyu, Lindi, Singida, Tunduru (Ruvuma), Korogwe (Tanga), Ulanga (Morogoro), Pemba, Geita, and Chamwino (Dodoma), with progress ranging from 5 to 99 per cent.

Furthermore, three District Court buildings have been completed in Korogwe, Ulanga and Ubungo, while 11 others are under construction in Kibiti, Nachingwea, Simanjiro, Hanang, Mbulu, and Mkalama.

The minister added that 26 Primary Court buildings have been completed in various areas including Mtae, Mkunya, Msanzi, Uyole, Mlimba, Mang’ula, Mtowisa, Laela, and Haydom, among others.

Construction of an additional 72 Primary Courts is underway across several regions. In the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Dr Ndumbaro said that by April 2025, 75 per cent of legal sector systems have been integrated.

The ministry has enhanced the use of the HAKI SHERIA Portal, currently operational in 184 local government authorities, enabling both citizens and legal aid officers to access services.

He noted that the Judiciary has developed a Transcription and Translation System (TTS) capable of converting court records between English and Kiswahili.

The government has also expanded online services through eRITA, enabling digital access to vital registration services, including birth, death, marriage, divorce and trusteeship.

“Citizens can now apply online and collect documents at the nearest District Commissioner’s Office without visiting agency offices,” he said.

To promote access to justice at the district level, the number of District Prosecution Offices has more than doubled from 53 in 2021 to 108 in 2025.

Dr Ndumbaro also announced that Tanzania had been awarded “A” status by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in March 2023, in recognition of the country’s commitment to human rights and good governance, including the empowerment of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance.

In the legislative front, the period between 2021 and 2025 has seen the enactment and amendment of 57 Principal Laws and 4,087 Subsidiary Legislations.

Additionally, between 2021 and 2025, the Law School of Tanzania registered a total of 5,333 students representing 28 per cent of the 19,025 students registered over the 18 years since the institution was established.

During the same period, the institution produced 2,375 graduates, equivalent to 25 per cent of the 9,629 graduates since its establishment in 2008.