Samia unveils consolidated, revised laws to boost justice

Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday launched a revised and consolidated edition of Tanzania’s laws, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to enhance governance, improve legal clarity, and widen access to justice.

The updated and consolidated legal document was revised pursuant to the Law Revision Act, Cap. 4, and comprises 446 principal laws that have been rewritten and streamlined.

The revised edition will officially come into effect on July 1, 2025, following a formal proclamation by the Head of State.

Speaking at the launch ceremony held at Chamwino State House in Dodoma on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, President Hassan described the revision as a transformative step that would bring the country’s legal system closer to the people it serves.

“This revision will simplify access to justice for all citizens, reduce the time required for legal research, and enable quicker, more consistent decision-making,” she said.

She emphasised that the consolidation of laws would also promote transparency and accountability within public institutions by eliminating ambiguities that had previously been exploited.

“The practice of ‘looking here and there’ in legal interpretation created loopholes that some took advantage of. This revised edition presents our laws in a clear, well-organised and accessible manner,” she added.

The President further said that the new legal framework is expected to boost investor confidence, reinforce economic activity, and help ordinary citizens avoid unintentional violations stemming from lack of legal awareness.

This is only the second time in the country’s history that such a comprehensive legal revision has been undertaken. The first edition was published in 2002, while the current one consolidates all laws passed between 2003 and December 2023.

“The law is the mirror of a nation’s civilisation and the foundation of justice. Without clarity in our laws, rights are not protected, peace is undermined, and development is delayed,” President Hassan said.

She recalled a conversation with a retired Attorney General, who had shared that he would personally annotate outdated statutes to reflect recent amendments due to delays in publishing revised versions. These hand-annotated volumes were crucial when preparing legal arguments.

Attorney General, Hamza Johari, explained that the revision process was guided by the Law Revision Act, which empowers the Chief Draftsman—under the supervision of the AG—to review, update, and streamline the country’s laws.

“This involved deleting outdated provisions, correcting typographical errors, and reformatting the statutes into a modern, reader-friendly format,” Mr Johari said.

He added that, under Section 12 of the Act, the revised edition becomes the country’s official legal reference upon proclamation and will be recognised by all courts and government institutions.

To safeguard the revised laws, three signed and sealed copies will be preserved—one each with the chief justice, the speaker of parliament, and the central government.

Mr Johari also noted that this is the first time the exercise has been fully funded through domestic resources, marking a turning point in Tanzania’s legal and institutional development.

Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, who also attended the event, said the milestone was the result of a government-funded initiative—unlike previous revisions, which were supported by development partners.

“Our enhanced tax collection systems have enabled us to finance important national projects like this,” he said.