Kawiye Social Development Foundation (Kasodefo) in Tanzania has assisted 5,253 people in Simiyu region with legal aid over land tussle.

The beneficiaries, Development Diaries gathered, were reached out to through a programme under the sponsorship of Legal Services Facility (LSF).

It is understood that major causes of land conflicts in Tanzania are dysfunctional land management and problematic governance institutions.

Presenting a report of the programme at a meeting of stakeholders in the region, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Kasodefo, John Titus, said, ‘At the beginning, we intended to reach out to 3,500 needy people, but later learnt that many were in need, hence, we decided to increase the number to almost 10,000.

‘We first intensified a public awareness campaign and there was good response from people who were open to air their problems that needed legal aid’.

He said that after the campaign, the response from the people was good as they received 981 land disputes cases, 814 cases of inheritance, 765 matrimonial cases, 505 child custody and 844 civil cases.

Titus said in order to provide legal services to the people of the region, they partnered with other legal aid providers.

Also, the Project Manager at Kasodefo, Marius Isvika, said, ‘in the past four years, we provided legal education (by 106 percent) and legal aid (by 51 percent).

‘The aim of training of legal community organisations is to ensure they offer legal aid services even after the project is over. Many Tanzanians still need legal aid’.

One of the legal service providers from Maswa District Council, Elizabeth Mushi, said the number of people in need of legal aid had been increasing almost daily.

Source: Daily News

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