CRIMINAL JUSTICE:Samia calls for mindset shift

 Hilda Mhagama

DODOMA: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has underscored the necessity for a

profound shift in mindset among government officials to effectively carry out comprehensive reforms in the nation’s criminal justice system.

The call came as she received a de￾tailed report from the committee tasked with formulating strategies for executing recommendations from the Criminal Jus￾tice Commission.

The report was present￾ed by the Commission’s Vice-chairman, Ambassador Ombeni Sefue.

Established in January 2023, the Commission presented 333 recommendations in July last year aimed at guiding the enhancement of justice delivery, bol￾stering criminal justice institutions and adhering to the 4R philosophy— Rec￾onciliation, Resilience, Reforms and Re￾building.

Dr Samia said that embracing change is crucial for Tanzania’s continued prog￾ress across political, economic, and social fronts and achieving meaningful reforms.

Speaking at Chamwino State House in Dodoma on Saturday, the Head State said the inevitable challenges and oppositions accompanying transformative reforms must be addressed to propel the nation forward.

During a recent workshop attended by government officials and executives on strategies to implement the commission’s recommendations, she said participation was notably low among ministers, Regional Commissioners, and Permanent Secretaries, indicating a critical need for enhanced understanding and engagement with the strategies proposed by the Criminal Justice Commission.

President Samia urged officials to embrace the changes fully, emphasising that effective implementation requires a thor￾ough grasp of their responsibili￾ties and boundaries.

The new report details a multi-pronged approach with short, medium and long-term goals for strengthening institutions, adhering to the rule of law and ensuring justice for all Tanzanians. The plan encompasses a five-year implementation timeframe and addresses both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar issues.

Of the 333 recommenda￾tions presented by the Com￾mission in July, 270 focus on enhancing criminal justice insti￾tutions, while 63 concern vari￾ous governmental sectors.

“The government has al￾ready begun working on some recommendations, including issuing guidelines for arrest pro￾cedures by Regional and District Commissioners and finalising ethical standards for prosecu￾tors.

“Additionally, efforts are underway to increase the use of video conferencing in court pro￾ceedings, bolster the social work expertise of prison officers and integrate information technolo￾gy systems across various justice institutions,” she noted.

Also read: https://dailynews.co.tz/call-to-act-as-president-samia-receives-criminal-justice-report/

Dr Samia further said signifi￾cant strides have also been made in judicial expansion, with the National Prosecution Office establishing offices in 50 out of 96 previously underserved districts and plans underway for the re￾maining 46.

“The 2024/2025 budget underscores the priority placed on implementing these recommen￾dations, particularly within the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, which is focused on formulating a national crimi￾nal justice policy,” Dr Samia as￾serted.

President Samia said the government is committed to im￾plementing these reforms, emphasising the imperative to up￾hold citizens’ rights as enshrined in Tanzania’s Constitution.

However, she said some Regional and District Commissioners continue to abuse their authority in some areas, despite the guidelines issued last year. “It is essential that these guidelines are respected and implemented effectively. Each of us must understand our roles, responsibilities and boundaries in our respective positions.” Dr Samia said.

Chief Justice Prof Ibrahim Juma identified the ongoing development of Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050 as an opportune moment to fully incorporate the commission’s recommendations.

He emphasised the importance of ensuring that the reforms are owned by all stakeholders, with citizen involvement playing a pivotal role in shaping the committee’s recommendations.

Acknowledging the enormity of the mindset change required, he called for a revamped business process aligned with contemporary ideals.

CJ Juma cited India’s recent overhaul of century-old criminal laws as a comparable example of adapting to modern challenges and opportunities.

As Tanzania transitions to advanced ICT systems, she emphasised the need for corresponding updates in business processes to avoid inheriting challenges from outdated systems.

“I concur with the commit￾tee that this represents a valuable chance for enhancement and transformation.

Reflecting on our history, the most recent substantial reforms occurred in 1996 when the Bomani Commission formulated improvement plans.

However, due to the substantial budget required at that time, the reforms were fragmented and did not achieve ex￾tensive impact,” he explained.