DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzania Public Bar Association (TPBA) has awarded President Samia Suluhu Hassan for expanding access to legal aid, with the flagship Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign that has served over 4.1 million Tanzanians across the country.
The President received the award on Monday in Arusha during the opening of the Government Lawyers Association’s Annual General Meeting.
The association said the award recognises the Sixth Phase Government’s far-reaching reforms in the justice sector, particularly the implementation of the Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign, which has significantly improved access to legal services for ordinary citizens.
According to figures presented during the event, the first phase of the campaign has so far reached 4,157,965 people, including 2,021,063 men and 2,135,902 women.
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The campaign has also facilitated the hearing and resolution of 26,876 legal disputes, bringing legal services closer to communities and improving access to justice.
The Government Lawyers Association described the initiative as one of the most comprehensive legal aid programmes in the world, noting that similar nationwide legal assistance models exist in only a few countries, including China, Russia and Belarus.
The award was presented to the Head of state by the TPBA President Advocate Bavoo Junusi, where the association reaffirmed government lawyers’ commitment to supporting the campaign through continued participation in legal aid outreach programmes and legal clinics across the country.
During the event, the Attorney General, Hamza Johari also presented President Samia with a book titled “The Legal Philosophy of Mama Samia,” which documents the legal reforms undertaken during the Sixth Phase Government.
The publication highlights the legal and policy framework underpinning President Samia’s economic and social reforms, as well as the government’s efforts to strengthen the rule of law, improve access to justice and modernise the country’s legal sector.
The annual meeting brought together government lawyers from across the country to discuss emerging legal issues, strengthen professional collaboration and review the role of legal institutions in supporting national development.