END OF THE YEAR 2013 ADMISSION CEREMONY OF NEW ADVOCATES - DAG SPEECH

SPEECH BY MR. GEORGE M. MASAJU, DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, ATTORNEY

GENERAL`S CHAMBERS - UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, AT THE END OF

THE YEAR 2013 ADMISSION CEREMONY OF NEW ADVOCATES TO THE BAR AT

THE KARIMJEE HALL DAR ES SALAAM ON THE 6th DAY OF DECEMBER, 2013

The Honourable Chief Justice,

Honourable Justices of Appeal and Judges of the High Court, 

Honourable Chief Registrar, Registrars and Deputy Registrars and Honourable Magistrates. 

Honourable Government Dignitaries present, 

Honourable President of the Tanganyika Law Society, Honourable members of the Bar present,

Invited Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I  am honoured  to  be  here  and  to get  an  opportunity to say a few words in this august   occasion. Let me at the outset congratulate   all  of you for  this great achievement in your professional career. As you celebrate this achievement, let me remind you  that  today  marks a new beginning to most of you.  It  is a  beginning of the tough  journey ahead  where  you  will  henceforth act  in  accordance  with  the  rules of the legal profession. That aside, let me say “Hongereni sana”! 

Honourable Chief Justice, 

We are gathered here to witness yet another group of learned brothers and  sisters  who  have  successfully  fulfilled  the requirements  for  admission  into  the  Bar. Their admission will add to the options that Tanzanians need to ensure that the administration of justice is not strained   by   the   lack   of advocates. I am highly intrigued by the fact that their admission comes at a  time  when their  services  are  highly  required  to cater for  the growing economy and the number of cases associated  with such growth. 

Honourable Chief Justice, 

As  Advocate  Number  one  in  the  Roll,  I  find  it  my  duty  to share  a  few  words  with  the  newly  admitted  advocates.  I  need  not labour  long  before  I  indicate  that  the  greatest  challenge  that the  Bar  faces  of  late  is  increased  cases  of  malpractice  and indiscipline leading to unethical behaviours. We  cherish  the  fact  that  the  legal  profession  is  noble,  but do  people  consider  it  as  such?  Allan C. Hutchinson  in  his book entitled  Legal  Ethics  and  Professional  Responsibility  has  this  to say on what people perceive the legal profession: 

“the legal  profession  has  never  been  much  loved.  From Plato through Shakespeare and Charles   Dickens to Tom Wolfe, literature attests eloquently to its impugned status.  As much envied as reviled, the reputation and  prestige  of lawyers  are  now  considered  by  many  to  be  at  an  all-time low.  Law's image as a noble and  honourable  profession  is  in tatters...…Furthermore,  there  seems  to  be  a  growing  sense, both  within  and  outside  the  profession,  that  it  is  less  a problem  of  a  few  bad  apples  needing to be plucked  out  than of the overall professional barrel being rotten.” 

The  quote  is  not  meant  to  scare  you  about  the  profession and  career  you  have  chosen.  My main  intention  is  to  humbly request  you  to  adhere  to  the  ethics  of  a  good  lawyer.  For  many, it  is  a  contradiction  in  terms  to  talk  about  lawyering  and ethical  standards  of  behaviour  in  the same  breath.  Indeed,  some go  so  far  as  to  suggest  that to be a lawyer is to vacate  the ordinary  domain  of  ethical  judgment  and  to  inhabit  a  perverse world  of  normative disingenuity. To a  large  extent,  society  tends to  view  lawyers as a rich  and  elite  profession  that  is  more interested  in  its  own  pocketbook  than  the  public  interest. I do not  believe  this  to  be  true, but  what  people  believe  remains imperative.  I  implore  you  to  prove  the  society wrong  on  this front. 

Honourable Chief Justice, 

We  are  witnessing  yet  another  big  group  of  lawyers  being sworn  in  as  advocates.  Few  years ago,  the  legal  fraternity  in  the whole  country  could  not  match  the  number  we  are  adding  in  a

single  swearing  in  ceremony  today. There  is  no  doubt  that  the people  of  Tanzania  will  benefit from  their  services.  Some  of  the new  advocates  are  still  public  servants  and  will  continue  in the public domain unless they decide otherwise. For  today’s  purpose,  allow  me  to  have  a  brief discourse with   newly   admitted   advocates   who   are   still   in   the   public service. 

Few  years  ago,  we  made  a  decision  to  waive  the  restriction on  swearing  in  of  public  servants,  including  State  Attorneys,  as advocates.  This was  made  for  the  purposes  of  ensuring  that  the seniority  of  such  officers  is  reserved  in  the  Roll  of  Advocates. 

We  did  not  expect  them  to  henceforth  assume  a  new  status  of practicing  advocates.  After  swearing  in  of  such  officers,  we started  receiving  complaints  about  their  conduct.  Some of  them took  briefs  and  started  representing  clients  in  courts  during working  hours  while  also  utilizing  their  employer’s  facilities. 

Our investigation proved these complaints to be genuine.  We have started taking action to try to remedy the situation before matters get out of hand.

Honourable Chief Justice, 

Lawyers employed  in  the  public  service  are  expected  to  serve  the government  Ministries,  Departments  or  Agencies  while  observing the code  of  conduct  and  ethics  in  the  Public  Service  as  per Public  Service  Regulations, 2003.  This  is  also  governed  by  the provisions  of  the  Office  of  the  Attorney  General (Discharge  of Duties)  Act,  2005  and  its  Regulations  of  2006.  They  are  recruited as   such   to   defend   the   interests   of   the   government   without compromising  their  noble  duties  as  Officers  of  the  Court.  It is for that reason that the Advocates  Act,  Cap. 341 exempted them from being admitted and bestowed to them the status of Advocates. 

Regulation 6(3)   of   the   Attorney   General (Discharge of Duties) Regulations, 2006 provides:

“It  shall  be  the  right  of  a  Law  Officer,  State  Attorney  and a   Legal   Officer   to   enjoy   all   privileges   attached   to advocates  save  for  charging  and  receiving  reward  in  a  form of  fees  and  to  the  extent  prohibited  or  restricted  by  the  Act and laws governing employment in the public service”. 

Regulation 8  of  the  same  restricts  these  Officers  from conducting  in  a  manner  prejudicial  to  the  interests  of  their employers  including  becoming  practicing  advocates.  The Regulation provides inter alia: 

“The  Law  Officer,  a  State  Attorney  or  a  Legal  Officer  shall not  become  a  practicing  advocate  and  the  Law  Officer,  a State  Attorney  or  a  Legal  Officer  who  accepts  a  court  brief on  a  matter  in  which  the  Government  is  concerned  or  is adversely  or  may  be  adversely  affected  shall  be  deemed  to be  engaged  in  a  matter  that  adversely  affect  the  public confidence  and  jeopardize  the  credit  and  integrity  of  the legal profession and the public service.” 

Being  admitted  to  the  Bar  for  a  public  servant  does  not guarantee  him  the  right  to  practice  as a  private  practitioner.  It only  entitles  him  to  the  privileges  of  advocates  other  than  what is restricted  by  the  law.  We need to adhere to these principles. For  those  whose  interest  is  to practice  privately,  they  should only  do  so  after  leaving  public  service.  We  feel  obliged  to  talk to  the  new advocates  about  this  because  we  believe  it  to  be highly   unethical   for   a   lawyer   to engage in deceitful gains against  the  interest  of  his  client.  For public servants, their client is the government.  Time  spent  outside  the service  of  the government  is  tantamount  to  the  abuse of the confidence the client has in his advocate. 

Honourable Chief Justice, 

After that  brief  discourse  with  my  learned  colleagues  in the   public   service, let me generally   canvass   few   issues   of concern  to  us.  The legal  fraternity  in  this  country  should  work hard  to  win  back  the  confidence  of  Tanzanians. It is  faced by serious  vices  which  if  not  addressed will  lead  to  even  further mistrust  from  the  people  we  serve.  We are reliably informed that the  increase  in  the  number  of  Advocates  has  seen  a  raise  in  the number  of  malpractices. The incidences of malpractice are many. 

Today let me restrict myself to a few.  Corruption is one of the vices that confront the profession.  Corrupt elements in the Bar are manifested in the distortion of  evidence,  preparation  of false court  records,  destruction  of  client  files  and  favoritism of  the  rich  at  the  expense  of  the  poor,  among  others.  We have likewise   heard   of   practicing   advocates   engagement   in   serious issues   of   fraud   and   money   laundering.   These   are   crimes   per excellence  but  when  they  are  done  by  the  legal  fraternity,  one cannot  stop  wondering  the  impact  it  has  in  the  minds  of  the righteous Tanzanians. 

The  other  vice  that  the  Bar  is  facing  is  how  to  handle complaints waged against   incompetent,   corrupt   and   unwanted elements in the Bar. We have spoken once  and   again   that incompetence   is   probably one of the major setbacks on the attainment of justice in this country.  An  incompetent  advocate will  normally  mishandle  cases  leading to people’s  mistrust  of  the whole profession. This vice needs to be reduced sooner than later. 

Associated with this problem is laxity and laziness of the Advocates or judicial officers. A lazy   advocate   will   not adequately  prepare  for  a  matter  handed  to  him  by  his  client.  He will equally not offer an informed legal advice.  The longer the files stay unattended the more people are dismayed   and disoriented.   The consequences of retaining incompetent and unworthy persons in the Bar are obvious.  The most noticeable one is the bad image that people may have towards   the   whole institution regardless of the numerous good and well-disciplined elements in it.

Lastly  another  vice  that  confronts  the  Legal  Profession  is  love of  money  at  the  expense  of  justice. Tanzania has a legal aid scheme   and   the   Bar   has been at the forefront in assisting indigent Tanzanians.  However, we  have  noted  that  some  Advocates assigned  to  assist the  poor,  do  not  exert  the  same  professional attention  to  such  clients  as  they  do  with  cases  they  are  paid for. This  ought  to be  avoided  because  it  is  against  known  ethics of  the  legal  profession  and  religious  teaching.  The Bible says in Psalms 41:1 thus: 

“Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble” 

I  ask  you  to  devote  the  same  kind  of  attention  to  matters submitted to you by the poor. 

Honourable Chief Justice, 

Before  I  conclude,  let  me  assert  that  this  swearing  in ceremony  is  taking  place  at  a  very significant  moment  in  the history  of  our  nation.  As we  speak,  our  legislators  are  working hard  to  ensure  that  we  have  a  smooth  path  towards  getting  a  new constitution  for  our  country. 

A  lot  is  being  said  about  what should  or  should  not  be  included  in  the  constitution  or  in  the laws  that  facilitate  its  realization.  As citizens  and  more  so  as learned   brothers and sisters, I   implore you to actively participate  in  the  processes  that  lead  to  the  finalization of the Constitution.  Our criticism or complement should be positive and geared at ensuring that the   process   moves forward. The constitution  is  the  heart  of  our  nation’s  existence  and  is  the mother  of  all  laws that  we  practice.  We will be doing  our profession  a  great  disservice  if  we  just  sit  back  as spectators and not as proactive players in the quest for  a new Constitution. 

Tanzania,  as  a  member  of  the  East  African  Community  has  of late  committed  into  the operationalization  of  the  single  customs territory  and  the  process  leading  to  the  establishment of the monetary  union.  It is an opportunity that we cannot afford to sit back and watch.  We need to engage ourselves, study and practice the legal dynamics involved.  The legal practice is a service that may be subject to the EAC common market protocol liberalization. 

There  is  already  a  study  that  aims  at  opening  cross  border  legal practice  in  the  EAC.  A Community law for the purpose may be coming soon.  This  is  a  positive  challenge  that  we  need  to  take and  work  hard  to  compete  with  our  legal  colleagues  from  other Partner States. 

 Honourable Chief Justice, 

Let  me  end  my  statement  by  thanking  you  most  sincerely  for giving  me  the  opportunity  to  share  these  few  words  with  my  new learned  colleagues.  As  we  are  heading  towards  the  end  of  the year,  which  is  also  the  end  of  the  Court  Calendar  year,  let  me use  this  opportunity  to  wish  us  all  a  very  merry  Year end  and  a Happy  New  Year  2014.  God  the  Almighty  will  guide  our  ways  so  that we  may  start  a  new  year  with  new  vigour  and  renewed  purpose.    God bless you all. 

Thank you all for your kind attention.