Poor families set to enjoy free legal services

THE Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in collaboration with Paralegal Associations in the country have planned weeklong services on legal issues to create public awareness on legal services.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Amon Mpanju said that the event will be conducted between 4th and 8th of this month. According to Mr. Mpanju, the event nationally will be held in Dar es Salaam at Mnazi Mmoja Grounds.

“The celebrations of the legal week-long services will be conducted countrywide and be celebrated nationally in Dar es Salaam,” he said. The Minister, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi is expected to launch the legal services week.

Mr Mpanju said that the legal service week among other things will help in creating public awareness on paralegal services in the country and provide legal services to the needy people.

“The legal services week will also enable paralegal associations in the country to visit people in police custody and jails to offer them legal services,” he said, adding that the week to be observed in all the country’s zones will also ensure those with the roles of providing legal services reach many needy people in the country.

Legal experts from various fields will attend the event to provide legal services to people who cannot afford such services, creating public awareness on various issues pertaining to legal matters.

“As we head to the week of legal services, the government would like to inform the public acquisition of legal services is a right to every citizen in the country…for that matter we kindly urge the citizens to make use of the week on legal matters,” he said.

Mr Mpanju said that acquisition of paralegal services is mandatory according to the country’s constitution and the law of 2017. “The constitution and the law require us to ensure the citizens are given and receive paralegal services,” he noted.

On the other hand, Mr Mpanju said that the week-long event on legal services will be used by legal professionals as a platform for sharing experiences, educating and training as well as creating public awareness on paralegal matters to the ‘Wananchi’.

He insisted on the need for the citizens requiring legal services to attend the event, and asked the service providers, and experts to come out in large numbers to offer the services to the citizens.


With the theme ‘Paralegal services for the nation’s development’, Mr Mpanju said that paralegal services would not only end at the long-week services but thereafter, saying that legal experts and providers including the government will continue providing and extending the services further for better development.