THE Attorney General (AG) Hamza Johari has handed over the 2023 revised edition of the Laws of Tanzania to the Chief Justice, Judge George Masaju, at his office in Dodoma.

Speaking during the handover ceremony held over the weekend, Johari expressed his deep appreciation to the judiciary for its pivotal role in supporting and facilitating the successful revision of the country’s laws.

He emphasised that the implementation of these updated laws, which were officially launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan and took effect on July 1, will greatly simplify the judiciary’s work and enhance the efficiency of justice delivery to Tanzanian citizens.

“Following the completion of the revision, President Samia Suluhu Hassan officially launched and declared that these laws would be operational starting July 1 of this year. Today, my team and I have come to hand over these revised volumes to you formally,” Johari stated.

Notably, the Attorney General highlighted that unlike previous revisions funded by foreign donors, this law revision project was fully financed using domestic financial resources and local human capital. The publication was also undertaken by a local publisher, ensuring sustainability and greater control over future updates.

“This is a significant achievement. We have completed this project using our own funds and local expertise. Going forward, we will no longer wait for ten years to issue supplementary updates. Instead, we will ensure regular updates to prevent the project from becoming too large or unwieldy,” he said.

Receiving the revised volumes, Chief Justice Masaju thanked the Attorney General’s Office for recognising the judiciary’s substantial contribution to the revision process. He noted that the judiciary is one of the primary users of these laws, as many disputes and cases are settled in courts.

“As the judiciary, we are among the major users of these laws because many issues end in court. Having access to these consolidated volumes will significantly aid our judicial functions,” Masaju said.

He also commended the Attorney General’s Office for completing the revision using domestic resources and for making the laws freely accessible online through the office’s electronic legal system, thus facilitating broader access for legal professionals and the public.

Earlier, the Chief Draftsman of Laws, Onorius Njole, praised Chief Justice Masaju for his leadership and support in finalising the revision process, noting that 20 volumes containing a total of 446 principal laws had been delivered.

Njole further explained that the Attorney General’s Office has diligently implemented President Samia’s directive to ensure these laws are widely accessible. Apart from being available for purchase through the reputable local publisher Mkuki na Nyota, the laws are also accessible electronically via the Office’s Management Information System known as OAG-MIS.

The revised laws were formally signed and promulgated by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on April 23, 2025, and officially came into effect on July 1, 2025.