Dar es Salaam. As the Mama Samia Legal Aid campaign, named after President Samia Suluhu Hassan, marks its second anniversary, it has provided services to nearly 1.3 million people nationwide, according to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.
Launched in 2023 the campaign aligns with the Legal Aid Act of 2017 and aims to tackle common legal issues such as land disputes, marital conflicts and gender-based violence.
Beyond providing free legal assistance, the initiative seeks to reduce court backlogs and promote peaceful dispute resolution through training and direct legal services.
The innovative initiative purpose is to help underprivileged Tanzanians access free legal services.
Officiating the campaign opening in Lindi region on February 19, 2025 Mr Majaliwa noted that, so far, the campaign has successfully reached 681,326 women and 691,773 men across 19 regions in the country.
“President Hassan learned about the struggles, complaints, and challenges that Tanzanians face, particularly those who cannot afford legal services. She was moved and decided to initiate this campaign, entrusting the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs to oversee its implementation,” a statement shared by the PM office quoted PM Majaliwa as saying.
He further said that through this campaign, various disputes related to land, marriage, and inheritance have been resolved.
“It is an undeniable fact that many communities face challenges concerning inheritance, which often lead to family conflicts over property distribution,” he said.
Additionally, Prime Minister Majaliwa urged district commissioners across the country to establish programmes where they visit their local areas with legal experts to address citizens’ legal issues instead of waiting for national leaders to intervene.
“Tanzanians need social services, and this government has done tremendous work for this country. We have promised to continue serving them,” he said.
Majaliwa also noted that alongside this campaign, President Hassan has introduced significant reforms and prioritised solutions to the existing challenges in the legal services sector.
Furthermore, he directed the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, through the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA), to intensify public education on the importance of writing wills and distributing inheritance legally to reduce family disputes.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi, said that the Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign has four key attributes.
First its significance to society, the uniqueness in fulfilling President Hassan’s directives, its specificity, as it was initiated by President and its distinctiveness in implementing the R4 philosophy.
On his part, the Deputy Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Jumanne Sagini, reaffirmed that the ministry continues to collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure that citizens access justice efficiently and in a timely manner.
To achieve this goal, the ministry has been providing training for legal aid assistants and enhancing the capacity of legal aid service providers to bring these services closer to the people.
“In December 2024, the ministry signed an agreement with the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) to further strengthen legal representation services for citizens who cannot afford lawyer fees,” he said.
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