Ministry calls for greater public awareness on legal rights in inheritance disputes

DAR ES SALAAM: The Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs has urged the Tanzanian judiciary and legal aid organizations to enhance their efforts in providing legal education, particularly regarding inheritance issues.

Deputy Minister of Constitution and Legal Affairs Jumanne Sagini made the call for action on Thursday during a visit to the Integrated Justice Centre for  Family matters in Temeke.

He said the initiatives aims at addressing the widespread lack of legal understanding that is impeding the resolution of inheritance cases

He also emphasized the government’s commitment to partnering with the judiciary to create a comprehensive legal education program to help the public better understand and resolve inheritance disputes.

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On his part, the Chief Court Administrator of Tanzania Prof Elisante Ole Gabriel highlighted ongoing efforts by the judiciary to address inheritance cases through mediation centers.

He also announced the plan for the Court  to renovate High Court buildings in various regions to improve the handling of marriage and family disputes.

Registrar of the High Court Division Mary Shirima, reported that while the Center continues to effectively handle family and marriage disputes, challenges remain with inheritance cases due to many citizens’ limited understanding leading to a significant backlog.

The Integrated Justice Centre for Family Matters currently has the capacity to serve up to 1,000 people daily, an increase from its previous capacity of 400.

Since its establishment, the center has assisted over 500,000 citizens.