Comprehensive Performance Report of the Judicial Functions 2020
Publication Date:
16 April 2021
Issuing authority:
Judiciary of Tanzania
Section 28(1) (c) of the Judiciary Administration Act, 2011 requires the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary to synchronise, synthesise and produce an annual comprehensive performance report of the judicial functions. In compliance with this legal requirement, this report is produced for the year 2020. In this report, we have shown several measures taken to ensure the effective administration of justice. The report presents judicial activities that were carried out by the Judiciary in the fulfilment of its constitutional mandate of dispensing justice. It shows improvements and challenges that our courts have experienced in exercising their constitutional mandate.
The year 2020 had various challenges that affected the delivery of justice. The most serious was the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the pandemic, our courts remained operational. Coming to a standstill was not our option, leveraging on ICT, our courts remained in service of our people throughout the year.
This report captures the progress and efforts put in place by our courts in bringing court services closer to the people. Among others, the use of mobile court services remains an innovation that has had an impact on the delivery of justice to the unprivileged groups within our communities. As well, the report shows how the leverage on ICT in particular e-filing, e-payment, e-publication and virtual court, among others, have revolutionised justice delivery and reduced the old physical contact with people.
The report further, shows how accessibility to court records has been eased. Records are now easily retrievable from registries and archives, and parties receive their records immediately and, in any way, not more than 21 days after delivery of a decision. Equipping registries with electronic devices such as printers and laptops and ensuring every Judicial Officer is supplied with a laptop facilitated courts in delivering orders, rulings and judgements on the same date of pronouncement.
The positive impact of stakeholders engagement through various platforms and committees cannot be overemphasised. The report shows how various forums such as the Case Flow Management and Bench Bar Management Committees have been useful in enhancing justice elivery.
The average workload per judicial officer remains high. To curb the situation, a number of measures have been taken. Reallocation, transfer of Magistrates, supervisions and inspections have contributed to the increase of clearance rate in the Magistrates’ Courts and reduce imelines of cases in courts. However, the situation is critical in the Court of Appeal while it remains challenging in the High Court despite using Magistrates with extended jurisdiction. We hope our continued engagements with the relevant Higher authorities will lead to judicial
empowerment in these courts. Notwithstanding, we remain committed to our constitutional mandate by ensuring justice is timely dispensed to the people.
It is a great honour and privilege to present the 2020 Comprehensive Report of Judicial Functions. We remain optimistic that the report will be a reflection of the past and radar that guides our course.
Wilbert M. Chuma
Chief Registrar