VICE President Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi yesterday moved to direct government officials, civil society organisations and political parties to cease public debate regarding the violence that occurred during the polls late last year.

Officiating at the climax of Law Day celebrations in the capital yesterday, the VP warned that incessant public commentary on the unrest serves only to re-open the wounds of members of the public and could potentially jeopardize the ongoing legal processes aimed at securing justice.

The VP affirmed his support for earlier remarks by Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) president Boniface Mwabukusi, declaring his 100 percent agreement for the counsel the law activist issued to political leaders, that they should exercise restraint.

Noting that the Union president has already formed a commission that is currently at work, the VP insisted that “discussing this matter outside the established legal framework is an injustice to our nation. We must allow the legal organs to fulfill their duties without interference or emotional provocation.”

Dwelling on Law Day themes, he reminded judges and magistrates that judicial independence must never be used as a hideout for negligence, favouritism or injustice. The judiciary's mandate is rooted in Article 107A and 107B of the constitution, which demands transparency and integrity, he declared.

The TLS leader, in asking political leaders to stay silent if they have nothing vital to say, emphasized in a poignant speech that those in power need to take into account the psychological state of the citizenry when delivering remarks to the public. 

If leaders do not have constructive messages, they should refrain from making statements that generate public distress, he stated, invoking the need for divine wisdom “so that we may restore the nation." 

"If we are not careful, where we are headed is far worse than where we have been. There will come a point where we cannot return to where we started," the law activist intoned, using the platform to advocate for the marginalized in urging the government to provide for specified allocations for legal aid. 

The presidential legal aid' campaign had reached over three million people but the demand remains overwhelming and exceeds the TLS financial capacity, he said, similarly evoking systemic disparities in the sector, demanding harmonising legal practice in the Mainland and in Zanzibar.

He equally pointed at the need for ‘reforming’ the Law School of Tanzania to ensure that advocates are well-trained and ethical, as well as addressing rising complaints regarding ghost advocates who take client fees and disappear.

Prof. Ibrahim Juma, the former chief justice, provided a statistical overview of the Judiciary’s performance, pointing at the critical role the courts play in the economy by resolving high-value disputes.

Total economic cases before courts for the whole of last year exceeded 50trn/- in value while those resoled during the last quarter (October to December) had a total value of 13trn/-, he said.

Several important judicial building projects are slated for completion by next month and up to October, he said, reaffirming the Judiciary's commitment to the long term development vision for 2050. The timely resolution of economic and criminal cases is vital to public harmony and investor confidence, he added.