CJ urges new lawyers to master election laws, serve rural areas

By Renatha Msungu , The Guardian
Published at 06:00 AM Jul 04 2025
Court Hammer
Photo: File
Court Hammer

CHIEF Justice, George Masaju, has called upon newly admitted lawyers to thoroughly study the general election laws.

The knowledge, he emphasised, is crucial for assisting aspiring candidates with form completion and for resolving potential election-related disputes that may arise in courts nationwide.

Chief Justice Masaju also urged the newly inducted legal professionals to practice outside major urban centers like Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, which already have a high concentration of lawyers. He warned against remaining solely in these cities, which could lead to them being labelled "fixers" and highlighted the vast, untapped market for legal services in other regions.

Masaju made these remarks yesterday in Dodoma while admitting and officially listing 449 new lawyers, including both government and private practitioners.

He stressed that numerous laws, including those pertaining to police and elections, require diligent study. Lawyers must dedicate time to understanding these laws to effectively assist candidates navigating the election process. "I know much of our work comes from resolving various disputes, so we must make an effort to read and understand the laws, because certification, receiving certificates, and performance are two different things," said Chief Justice Masaju.

He implored the lawyers to uphold their oath, continuously study evolving laws, and serve the wider community in their assigned areas. "We who are here witnessing your oath are not here to cheer you on; we are here to ensure you live by your oath as the law directs," he added.

Expressing his displeasure with lawyers congregating in major cities, Masaju highlighted the numerous unresolved disputes in rural areas that desperately need legal assistance. He cited Kilombero District, with its large sugarcane farms and many farmers, as an example of a community requiring extensive legal services. He urged the new lawyers to spread out and serve these citizens instead of remaining in urban hubs.

"I do not wish to see you moving around Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, appearing like fixers. Disperse to other regions and work to deliver justice to help society," the Chief Justice firmly stated. "I do not want to hear that you are selling your integrity by taking bribes instead of upholding justice."

He further cautioned against compromising personal integrity for financial gain, emphasizing that accepting money to distort justice is unacceptable within professional ethics. As this was his first time administering the oath to this group, he expressed his strong desire for them to adhere strictly to ethical conduct.

Masaju advised the lawyers not to emulate politicians but to focus on delivering justice to maintain public trust. He stressed the importance of honesty with clients: if a case is unwinnable, lawyers should be truthful rather than taking money under false pretences. "Do not commit the sin of taking people's money when you know you cannot win the case. 

It is better to tell the client the truth. Do not think of buying a small car with a client's money from a case you know they won't win; you will not prosper because you don't know how hard they struggled to earn that money to pay you."

The Chief Registrar of the High Court of Tanzania, Chiganga Tengwa, read out the list of admitted and certified lawyers, instructing them to adhere to all established procedures. This new batch of 449 lawyers brings the total number of certified practitioners in Tanzania to 13,446, who will now serve in various parts of the country.