OSG saves govt 1.14tri/- in arbitration cases
DAR ES SALAAM: THE Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) saved the Government 430.4 million US dollars (about 1.14tri/-) through successful handling of arbitration cases between July 2025 and June 2026, protecting public funds that could otherwise have been paid had the Government lost the cases.
Presenting the office’s performance report during a working meeting between the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, Dr Seif Shekalaghe and OSG management in Dar es Salaam recently, Deputy Solicitor General Alice Mtulo said the office had registered 81 arbitration cases during the period, of which 34 were concluded.
“Between July 2025 and June 2026, OSG registered 81 arbitration cases involving the government and its institutions, concluded 34 and saved 25.9bn/- and 430.4 million US dollars (about 1.14tri/-) that the government would have paid had it lost the respective cases,” Ms Mtulo said.
She said the office had also handled a significant number of civil cases during the same period.
“During the period, OSG registered 3,069 civil cases involving the government and its institutions, of which 1,106 were concluded, saving the government 438.6bn/- that it would have paid had it lost the cases,” she said.
Ms Mtulo said the office continued to record significant savings through both civil and arbitration cases during the subsequent period.
“Between July and September 2026, OSG registered 841 civil cases and concluded 193, saving the government 20.1bn/-,” she said.
On arbitration cases during the same period, she said the office registered 18 cases and concluded nine, saving 24.9 million US dollars (about 65.7bn/-), 1.6bn/-, €31,395 (about 93.2m/-) and £1,304.50 (about 4.6m/-). Ms Mtulo said the figures demonstrated OSG’s role in protecting public funds and safeguarding the government against financial liabilities arising from civil and arbitration claims.
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“The cases handled by the office covered matters with broad national interests, underscoring the importance of effective legal representation in protecting government resources and the wider interests of the nation,” she said.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr Shekalaghe commended OSG for effectively discharging its mandate of handling civil and arbitration cases on behalf of the Government and its institutions, both within and outside the country.
“I have observed and recognised that OSG is a guardian of the national economy because you have handled and won civil and arbitration cases. I understand the importance of OSG in protecting the country’s economy with great patriotism,” he said.
Dr Shekalaghe said the government, through the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, had a responsibility to ensure that OSG was adequately facilitated to enable it to perform its duties effectively, particularly in cases involving matters of significant national economic interest.
The Solicitor General, Dr Ally Possi, said that for nearly eight years, OSG had handled civil and arbitration cases within and outside the country while representing the government and its institutions. He said the cases had involved economically and strategically important areas, including construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, taxation, energy, minerals, natural gas and investment.
“OSG is a guardian of our country’s economy based on the responsibilities we undertake because whenever we lose a case, the Government is required to pay substantial amounts of money to settle the respective case,” Dr Possi said.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, Ambassador Baraka Luvanda, and members of the OSG management.
