Court records poised to go digital

THE Judiciary is undergoing major reforms to ensure all court records are digitalized in a move aimed at fast tracking dispensation of justice, the Courts’ Administrator, Mr Hussein Katanga, has said.

He was opening a special Information Technology training for judicial workers in Dar es Salaam last week when he insisted that the judiciary was striving to change the current system so that all records are computerized, hence the need for the workers to sharpen their skills to suit the requirements.

“We are trying to change the current system. The court of yesterday is not going to be the court today. What is required here is for you to change your attitude.

I assure you that after two years to come everything is going to change. Clerks will no longer be staying with case files,” Mr Katanga said.

The courts’ administrator further pointed out that workers should seize the opportunity and go for training so that they could not be left behind with the ongoing global challenges.

He expressed his dismay for failure by the workers to apply for higher training despite of being provided with full sponsorship.

“We have set aside hundreds of millions of shillings for higher training for the workers. We are now offering full sponsorship even for degree programmes, but to my surprise only few people have applied.

I encourage you to go for training so that you should not be left over,” Mr Katanga said. He warned that while the judiciary was determined to improve services delivery to the people, workers should desist from any kinds of corrupt practices.

He pointed out that the current system the judiciary was trying to modernize would catch all those involved in the unprofessional conduct.

“I should say that all those who will be nabbed would not be spared. If I catch you I will fire you straight away. I fear no body, I fear no one. Go anywhere, but I will not tolerate such kind of behaviour,” the administrator warned.

"Before start taking serious measures against untrustworthy workers, I would create conducive environments and create more opportunities for them to perform their duties smoothly and effectively" he said.

The courts’ administrator further said they were trying to create a transparent system for accountability and responsibility, so that it could be understood who is doing what at a certain level and from now on he would not allow a person to remain at a station, be at the Court of Appeal or High Court, for so long.

“We want to create enabling opportunity for everyone to be conversant with what is required to be done. We should not be dependant to only one person. We should be able to shift one point to another.

For example, clerks at Court of Appeal can also go to the High Court registry and vice versa,” he pointed out.

The Registrar of the High Court’s Land Division, who was described to have played key roles in enabling the training sessions, challenged the workers to take serious concern and later show positive changes after the training as that would help them perform their respective duties effectively.

Chief of Manpower Rehema Vyas, who also attended the session, thanked the administrator general for establishing the training opportunities for the first time in the judiciary, which, she claimed, had not been there before. She suggested that such prospects should be maintained.

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