Extend services to rural areas, Mwinyi urges judiciary

FAUSTINE KAPAMA

RETIRED President Ali Hassan Mwinyi.

RETIRED President Ali Hassan Mwinyi challenged the Judiciary to extend its services to rural areas and provide education on easy access to justice to the people.

“Provision of education on legal matter to people in rural areas in particular how to easily access justice is of paramount importance,” he said in a speech read on his behalf by Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Mr Said Meck Sadiki during launch of Law Day exhibition week at Mnazi Mmoja Grounds.

Mr Mwinyi, who was president of Tanzania in the Second Phase Government, insisted that the people in rural areas were denied rights for lack of basic knowledge on how they could access justice.

He therefore called upon the Judiciary to take a lead in resolving such problem. The former Head of State had been invited as guest of honour at the inaugural week, ahead of the law day expected to be marked on February 4, in the city. However, Mr Mwinyi could not attend the session because he had other official engagements.

It is the second time for the former president to be invited on the occasion. In his speech, however, he also asked residents to visit the exhibitions aimed at providing education and legal services to all stakeholders and the people on different areas.

Earlier, Chief Justice Chande Othman pointed out that the Judiciary and other stakeholders would provide education on several legal related matters to enable the people know they could access justice through courts of law.

He said that the Judiciary would facilitate and ensure the exhibitions are conducted and would involve other key stakeholders, including Judicial Service Commission and the Attorney General Chambers.

Others are the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Lushoto Judicial Administration Institute, Law School of Tanzania, Human Right Centre and Good Governance, Tanganyika Law Society, among others.

Under Article 107A of the Constitution of United Republic of Tanzania, the Judiciary was the only organ in the country with final authority of dispensing justice. On the Law Day, President John Pombe Magufuli is expected to be the guest of honour.