Samia Legal Aid promotes unity, reforms

DAR ES SALAAM: MINISTER for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Dr Damas Ndumbaro, has underscored that the Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign is guided by the 4Rs philosophy, aimed at promoting unity, legal awareness and reform based on citizens’ needs.

He explained that the legal education and aid provided during the campaign will cover various aspects, including human rights, legal awareness, gender-based violence, land disputes and matters concerning marriage and inheritance.

Dr Ndumbaro made these remarks yesterday during the launch of the campaign in Mbagala, Dar es Salaam, which will run for 10 days, providing services across all districts and wards in the region.

He urged citizens to participate actively in the campaign and also learn about 15 key election law reforms introduced ahead of the October 2025 General Election.

“I encourage citizens to visit legal aid booths to familiarise themselves with the 15 reforms requested by opposition parties through the 4Rs framework. Government and Parliament made these amendments to ensure Tanzanians elect the leadership they deserve,” said Dr Ndumbaro.

He said legal experts will explain the reforms introduced in February 2024 through the Election Act for the President, Members of Parliament and Councillors (Act No. 1 of 2024), as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission Act No. 2 of 2024.

The minister noted that the campaign has so far enabled the Ministry to provide legal aid to 28,137 prisoners and, more recently, to hand over Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to the Prison Services.

The equipment allows inmates and detainees to attend court sessions remotely from prison. He said the move would reduce transportation costs between prisons and courts, minimise adjournments caused by logistical hurdles and enhance safety and efficiency in correctional facilities.

Dr Ndumbaro further noted that the campaign has been implemented in collaboration with international and local stakeholders, including UN Women, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the European Union and UK Aid.

He also acknowledged support from local partners such as the Legal Services Facility (LSF), CRDB Bank, NMB Bank, the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and the Open University of Tanzania. Zanzibar’s Minister for Constitution, Legal Affairs and Public Service, Mr Haroun Ali Suleiman, remarked that the campaign’s launch across all Zanzibar regions illustrates a strong commitment to the principle of “leaving no one behind” in delivering justice. He expressed hope that the campaign would evolve into a sustainable system for providing legal services nationwide.

“Justice is the foundation of peace, and as a government, we must ensure our citizens have timely and non-discriminatory access to justice,” he said.

Mr Suleiman also emphasised that collaboration between the Union and Zanzibar governments on the campaign—which directly impacts people’s lives—demonstrates people-centred unity and should serve as a model for other sectors. Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Eliakim Maswi, said the Dar es Salaam launch marks the 26th regional rollout of the campaign, with all five Zanzibar regions having already launched.

Mr Maswi revealed that, as of June 15, the campaign has reached 3,195,403 citizens nationwide—2,772,495 from Mainland Tanzania, comprising 1,381,960 men and 1,390,535 women. In Zanzibar, the campaign reached 422,908 citizens—215,723 men and 209,185 women—reflecting its extensive success in delivering legal aid where it is needed most.

He said a total of 26,048 legal disputes had been received so far—25,299 from Mainland and 749 from Zanzibar. Mr Maswi stressed that access to justice is a constitutional right, noting that the government had established frameworks to support it, including the Legal Aid Act No. 1 of 2001 for Mainland Tanzania and Act No. 13 of 2018 for Zanzibar.

“These laws reflect President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision. She approved the campaign to be named in her honour as the ‘Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign’,” he said.

He added that the campaign promotes awareness of laws and human rights, especially among women and children, enhances legal counselling services and strengthens an enabling environment for accessing legal aid. The campaign uses public meetings, school visits (primary and secondary), media and social media outreach and leaflet distribution to educate citizens.