Justice takes roots in TZ

LINDI: PRIME Minister Mr Kassim Majaliwa has called on all citizens to take advantage of the Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign to familiarise themselves with their rights and address their legal challenges, saying already over one million have been reached.

He said the campaign is an innovative idea initiated by President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan aimed at expanding access to justice for citizens who cannot afford the cost of legal services.

“President Samia learned about the problems, frustrations and challenges faced by Tanzanians, especially those who cannot afford to pay for legal services. She was moved and decided to launch this campaign and entrusted the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs to oversee it,” he said.

While addressing a public rally during the campaign’s launch in Ruangwa District, Lindi Region, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa encouraged citizens, especially women to feel confident in submitting their long-standing legal complaints to the service centres in their pursuit of justice.

Currently, he said, the number of men accessing the service centres exceeds that of women.

He said that through this campaign, which is provided for free, more than one million citizens have been reached so far, including 681,326 women and 691,773 men in 19 regions across the country.

“I would like to take this opportunity to urge all women facing challenges to visit the service centres without fear. Show up in large numbers— we believe many women in various areas are dealing with conflicts,” he said.

“Come forward to address your legal issues,” he added.

The data, he noted, raised concerns, as the number of women seeking legal assistance was lower despite women being particularly vulnerable to social injustice.

In the campaign’s first phase, citizens submitted a total of 11,244 complaints, of which 2,791 long-standing issues were resolved immediately.

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He cited inheritance disputes, land conflicts, marriage issues, denial of children’s access to education, genderbased violence (GBV), including rape and the harassment of widows as some of the key sources of conflict raised by citizens.

Mr Majaliwa said that consistent participation from all citizens will help the government identify the root causes of conflicts in society, providing a foundation for enacting new laws and regulations to address these issues.

Since its launch, the campaign has reached 19 regions on the Tanzanian Mainland, including Shinyanga, Dodoma, Manyara, Ruvuma, Simiyu, Singida, Songwe, Tabora, Geita, Morogoro, Kilimanjaro, Njombe and Mtwara.

In February, the campaign expanded to five more regions of Rukwa, Coast Region, Mbeya, Mwanza and Lindi, with the official launch taking place yesterday and concluding on February 28th this year.

The campaign, which is offered free of charge, aims to provide legal services to citizens in need who cannot afford legal costs.

Its goal is to enhance justice delivery, strengthen accountability and foster unity and solidarity. Regarding inheritance issues, Mr Majaliwa urged citizens to write their wills, explaining that properties left without legal documentation often leads to conflicts.

In this regard, he directed the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) to accelerate its efforts in educating citizens on the importance of writing wills to reduce misunderstandings after death.

He also instructed district and regional commissioners to ensure public advocates meet with citizens at the grassroots level, including in streets and villages, to address legal challenges.

Mr Majaliwa revealed that the government has added around 500 legal experts to enhance the provision of legal services across all regions of the country.

Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Professor Palamagamba Kabudi, said that the campaign aligns with the ruling party CCM 2020-2025 Election Manifesto and President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s 4R philosophy, which focuses on strengthening justice delivery and good governance.

Deputy Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Mr Jumanne Sagini said that the campaign in Lindi Region will cover ten wards, with one of them allocated as a service centre, where citizens can submit their complaints.

He added that citizens would be educated on how to prepare court proceedings, while receiving civic education and legal counseling to inform them of their rights.