TANZANIA: Judiciary seeks to fast-track hearing of cases

Written by PIUS RUGONZIBWA

PRIMARY, District and Resident Magistrates' Courts will be allocated funds directly in a new move aimed at fast-tracking hearing of cases.

The Registrar of the High Court, Mr Benedict Mwingwa, said in Kisarawe on Tuesday that as opposed to the past funds will be directly disbursed to the courts to deal with the most urgent and priority areas.

Apart from the new funds disbursement arrangement; plans are also afoot for the department to carry an extensive study to determine the actual human resources needs countrywide.

Mr Mwingwa could not categorically state the exact amount required to facilitate those tasks but he hinted that time has come where few available resources are to be shared to realize timely discharge of justice.

"These are part of the reforms going on within our department to improve provision of services despite poor budget allocation we are currently suffering from," he said.

The registrar who accompanied the Principal Judge, Mr Fakih Jundu, and his entourage in an official visit to the district alerted the staff to change their mindsets towards accountability at their respective work places.

Earlier, Judge Jundu inspected the construction of new district court buildings that is still in progress and a magistrate's house that was completed in July this year and about 1bn/- has been spent for both projects so far.

The buildings, together with those at Msoga Primary Court in Bagamoyo District are part of a programme supported by the Legal Sector Reforms Programme (LSRF) which will see the construction of 20 state of- the- art primary court buildings across the country, as a pilot project.

However, according to the Kisarawe Senior District Magistrate in-charge, Ms Hadija Msongo, the new court building was insecure due to absence of permanent security system.

"Lack of security is a serious problem bearing in mind the building is fixed with valuable appliances. We have been forced to hire security guards from the district council office," she said.

Magistrate Msongo mentioned other challenges as serious shortages of support staff like clerks, office attendants, accountants, drivers and typists as well as shortage of furniture facing almost all primary courts in the district.

Despite a number of success stories that she reported, staff  complained of working without going on their annual leave and or going on leave at their own costs and magistrates failing to put on court regalia since 2010.  Commenting on the challenges, Judge Jundu said serious investments were needed from the government for the department to be independent and financially stable.

"We are suffering from the past experiences where the State distanced itself from judicial activities on the excuse of its independence and freedom but I think that concept was misconceived," he said.  Judge Jundu is today scheduled to continue with his visit in Ilala and Temeke municipalities.

Source: Daily News (18/10/2012): http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/10629-judiciary-seeks-to-fast-track-hearing-of-cases