DEPUTY Prime Minister Dr Doto Biteko has directed leaders to respect the country’s pillars and stop interfering with other decision-making bodies by issuing public statements that may affect their operations.

Launching a 10-day campaign set for Njombe Region as part of the presidential Legal Aid Campaign initiative, he said the country is governed by the constitution and divided by responsibilities where each pillar has its role.

It is not allowed that one pillar interferes with the other conduct its work properly to bring development to the people, he said, in an event to mark the start of massive public education on legal issues and systems performance, human rights and the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).

 “We are all required to respect our legal bodies, adhere to the country’s laws as this country is governed by a constitution where each pillar has been given its roles; the government, parliament and judiciary,” he stated, insisting that each pillar ought to know its lines of demarcation and respect the respective pillars.

As the campaign also involves hearing and resolving legal conflicts, participants have to ensure that they provide close cooperation to the teams of advocates and stop being stubborn or adopt unhelpful, non-civic stances, to support the legal support initiative, he stated.

The government has convened a team capable of listening to people, identify challenges and provide needed support, he asserted, pointing out that a special commission to investigate the situation regarding access to justice, producing recommendations which need to be implemented in all levels, he told the gathering.

Dr Dorothy Gwajima, the Community Development, Gender, Elderly, Women and Special Groups minister, urged men to come out and air their concerns before the team in order to promote an equal society.

Cases of domestic violence slightly declined as in 2023 there were 15,301o such cases reported to various authorities, she said, attributing the decrease to efforts taken by the government and stakeholders. 

Dr Pindi Chana, the Constitutional and Legal Affairs minister said since the launch of the Legal Aid Campaign mid last year, teams have so far reached Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Simiyu, Manyara, Dodoma and Njombe, reaching an estimated 415,000 people,

Focused on essential education on accessing services in the legal system as well as human rights issues, the campaign has helped address various challenges, with a total of 4,942 disputes relating to land, marriage, inheritance or child care were received, with 516 conflicts registered as having been resolved.

Anthony Mtaka, the regional commissioner hailed the legal aid initiative, stressing the need for promoting human rights and good governance. The regional authorities had complemented the effort with an initiative to listen to challenges facing various individuals, so the campaign team has arrived in the region at the right time, he declared.

Implemented by the Constitution and Legal Affairs Ministry, the presidential Legal Aid Campaign was initiated in February 2023, intended to run until February 2026, officials noted.