Tanzania’s national legal aid campaign, championed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has provided legal assistance to more than 12,000 prisoners and pre-trial detainees, resulting in the release of 6,900 individuals, officials said Monday.
The initiative, launched as part of broader reforms to improve justice delivery, has contributed to a reduction in the national prison population from over 32,000 in 2021 to 26,896 as of June 2025, according to Commissioner of Prisons Legal Affairs and Administration CP Nicodemus Tenga.
"The proportion of convicted inmates now stands at 75%, with pre-trial detainees making up the remaining 25%, reflecting improved legal processing," Tenga said during the launch of a new phase of capacity-building for prison legal officers.
Tenga noted that Tanzania's prison system, which has a total capacity of 29,102 inmates, is currently operating below capacity for the first time in years, offering an opportunity for better inmate management and rehabilitation services.
The prison service operates 129 facilities, including 26 regional prisons and 6 training schools, but 50 districts remain without prisons, forcing detainees to be transferred to neighboring jurisdictions including remote areas such as Kakonko and Uvinza.
The reform push also focuses on expanding alternative sentencing, legal rights education, and contract management in correctional settings.
Jane Lyimo, Director of Constitutional Affairs and Human Rights Monitoring at the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, said the government is committed to embedding human rights principles and transparency in the justice system.
“We are building a justice chain that functions efficiently, transparently, and based on the rule of law,” Lyimo said.
The latest training program engaged 290 legal and correctional officers from across the country and marks the second phase of efforts to enhance professionalism within the correctional system.
Deputy Secretary of the Ministry, Franklin Rwezimula, speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, said the prison service is central to Tanzania’s criminal justice reform agenda and requires sustained investment in human capital, ethics, and modern correctional techniques.
“In an era of evolving security, legal, and social challenges, our correctional institutions must adapt and that begins with professionalizing our workforce,” Rwezimula said.