IT has never happened! This is how it can be interpreted by various stakeholders in the legal sector in the country following President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s appointment of a large number of new judges at the level of the Court of Appeal and High Court of Tanzania in May.
President Samia broke the record in the history of the judiciary in Tanzania when she appointed 28 judges, including seven of the Court of Appeal and 21 others of the High Court of Tanzania.
It was her first appointment for the judiciary of Tanzania, the third pillar of the state, since she became the President in March this year.
In her appointment on May 11, 2021, which aimed at supporting the judiciary’s efforts to provide timely justice to the people, President Samia also extended for two more years the tenure of Court of Appeal Justice Sivangilwa Mwangesi, who is currently the Ethics Secretariat Commissioner.
This is the first time for the President to appoint a large number of Judges, where for the last time such an appointment was made in January 2019, when the Fifth Phase President, the late Dr John Magufuli, appointed 21 judges at two levels, six Court of Appeal Justices and 15 High Court Judges.
Prior to that selection, another major appointment was for 20 judges, who were appointed by the Fourth Phase President, Dr Jakaya Kikwete, in August 2014, at the level of the High Court of Tanzania alone.
The new appointees to the appellate court, the highest temple of justice in Tanzania were Ms Patricia Fikirini, who was Judge in Charge of the High Court’s Commercial Division and Mr Penterine Kente, who was Judge in Charge of the High Court, Iringa Zone.
In the same boat are Dr Paul Kihwelo, who was Principal of the Institute of Judicial Administration (IJA) Lushoto in Tanga Region, Ms Lucia Kairo, the then Judge in Charge of the High Court, Bukoba Zone.
The rest are Ms Lilian Mashaka, who was Judge in Charge of the High Court’s Corruption and Economic Crime Division in Dar es Salaam, Mr Issa Maige, the then Judge in Charge of High Court’s Land Division (Dar es Salaam) and Mr Abraham Mwampashi, who was Zanzibar High Court Judge.
New appointed judges of the High Court of Tanzania were Ms Katarina Revocati, who was Njombe Regional Administrative Secretary and Mr Biswalo Mganga, former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Others are Ms Zahra Maruma, who was Deputy Registrar of Court of Appeal and also Head of Judiciary Delivery Unit (JDU) and Ms Devotha Kamuzora, the then Deputy Registrar of Tax Revenue Appeals Tribunal (TRAT), Dar es Salaam.
The rest include Mr Chaba John, Deputy Registrar in Charge of High Court (Main Registry) in Dar es Salaam, Ms Lilian Itemba, who was Senior State Attorney in the National Prosecutions Office and Mr Awamu Mbagwa, the then Senior State Attorney from the same office in Dodoma.
Others are Mr Ayoub Mwenda, who was Deputy Director in the National Prosecutions Office, Ms Nyigulile Mwaseba, the then Deputy Registrar of High Court (Dar es Salaam), Mr John Nkwabia, who was Deputy Registrar of the High Court at Arusha.
In the same boat of new appointees are Ms Safina Simfukwe, who was Deputy Registrar of High Court’s Land Division and Mr David Nguyale, the then Deputy Registrar of Corruption and Economic Crime Division of the High Court.
Others are Mr Frank Mahimbali, then Deputy Registrar in Charge of High Court at Mwanza, Mr James Karayemaha, former Deputy Registrar of the High Court, Mwanza Zone, Mr Emmanuel Ngigwana, who was Deputy Registrar of Tax Revenue Appeals Tribunal.
The rest includes Mr Abdi Kagomba, who was Legal Services Manager with Tanzania Electrical, Mechanical and Electronics Services Agency (TEMESA) and Ms Arafa Msafiri, who was Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Constitution and Legal, Office of the President at State House.
Others are Dr Ubena John, who was Lecturer and Dean of Faculty of Law, Mzumbe University, Dr Eliamini Laltaika , who was Lecturer at Tumaini University, Dr Theodora Mwenegoha, the then Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam and Mr Mwanabaraka Mnyukwa, the Lecturer at IJA.
Speaking immediately after swearing in such members of the bench on May 17, 2021 in Dar es Salaam, President Samia said the increase in the number of judges would help alleviate the problem of delays in court cases, urging them to step up their efforts to resolve the challenge and speed up justice delivery.
“The problem of delays in cases in our Courts still exists. As Lawyers say, justice delayed is justice denied, so it is my belief that after the acquisition of these Judges the delay in determining cases in Courts will decrease and eventually justice will be achieved in time,” said the President.
She urged the new Judges to carry out their duties faithfully while being guided by their dignity and self-motivation in dispensing justice, while emphasizing that justice is the foundation of development in any nation.
“The responsibility before you is immense, as Article (107) A of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania states, the authority in delivery of justice is vested to the Judiciary, thus it is important for you to fulfill your responsibilities faithfully while serving the citizens,” she stressed. The Chief Justice of Tanzania, Prof.
Ibrahim Juma, thanked the President for the appointment of the new Judges while believing that the number would bring about major changes that would be seen immediately.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the President for providing us with these Judges, this number will help reduce the burden of cases on the existing Judges and, thus help bring about changes that will be seen immediately,” said the Chief Justice.