The Minister for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Dr. Damas Ndumbaro, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to reducing overcrowding in prisons across Tanzania.
Speaking in Morogoro during the opening of a training program for prison legal officers, Dr. Ndumbaro highlighted ongoing inspections and legal reforms as key efforts in addressing the issue.
The training, focused on enhancing the capacity of legal officers in providing legal aid, processing inmate admissions, and implementing alternative sentencing, is part of a broader strategy to ensure justice and improve prison conditions.
Dr. Ndumbaro noted that the number of inmates has declined significantly due to the implementation of alternative sentences for remandees.
“Through the National Prosecution Office, the Ministry has been inspecting prisons to identify operational and investigative challenges. Between July 2024 and March 2025, a total of 132 prisons were inspected, compared to 107 in 2023/2024 an increase of 23 facilities,” he said.
As a result of these inspections, 618 remandees were released, helping to ease congestion.
On the use of information and communication technology (ICT), the Minister said the government is continuing to provide digital infrastructure for virtual court sessions in prisons. This initiative aims to streamline the hearing of cases, especially for inmates and individuals facing transport challenges.
Dr. Ndumbaro also called on prison legal officers to take an active role in providing legal aid, managing inmate intake in accordance with the law, and preparing legal and disciplinary reports to enhance efficiency in prison management.
He urged the officers to take the five-day training seriously, emphasizing that it forms part of the “Mama Samia Legal Campaign,” a national initiative to improve access to justice.
Between July 2024 and April 2025, 68 inmates with mental health conditions were released, further contributing to the reduction in prison population.
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dr. Maduhu Kazi, noted that the ministry, in collaboration with the Tanzania Prisons Service, is continuously working to improve correctional systems.
“From January to April 2025, the prison and remandee population stood at 27,000 down from 32,000 in 2021,”
Prisons Commissioner General, Jeremia Matundu, revealed that while there are over 264 legal officers in the Prisons Service, only 120 participated in this round of training. He stressed the importance of the program in equipping officers with practical skills, enhancing performance, and promoting peer-to-peer learning.
“We expect those trained to work more effectively and serve as resource persons for colleagues who did not attend,” said Matundu.
He added that the Tanzania Prisons Service will continue to offer such training programs to stay aligned with technological advancements.
Currently, 66 prisons nationwide are equipped with virtual court services. However, 50 districts still lack prison facilities, requiring some detainees to be transferred to neighboring districts. The government plans to establish more prisons to ensure each district has its own correctional center.
Jane Lyimo, Director of the Department of Constitution and Human Rights Monitoring, emphasized that the training aims to reduce the number of prisoners and remandees, strengthen legal officers’ competencies, and enhance the overall administration of justice within the prison system.
