The Chief Justice of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. George Masaju sharing experience about Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) during the presentation of a topic titled “Court-Annexed ADR as a Transformative Tool for Justice Delivery,” as a Session Chair. The topic was discussed on October 05th, 2026 during the ongoing Southern and Eastern Africa Chief Justices Forum (SEACJF) Conference and Annual General Meeting taking place at Hotel Verde in Zanzibar.
Hon. Justice Andrew Kaukha from Uganda (on the podium) sharing ADR experience in Uganda during the Panel discussion about 'Court-Annexed ADR as a Transformative Tool for Justice Delivery,' Topic chaired by The Chief Justice of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. George Masaju (the third one on the right side).
The Chief Justice of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. George Masaju who's the Chair (second left) in a photo with some Panel Members.
Hon. Justice Harrison Mutabazi from Rwanda sharing experience about ADR. On the right is the Chief Justice Emeritus of Ethiopia, Hon. Meaza Ashenafi.
Chief Justice Emeritus of Ethiopia, Hon. Meaza Ashenafi presents her views about 'Court-Annexed ADR as a Transformative Tool for Justice Delivery.'
Judge of the High Court of Tanzania Main Registry Dodoma, Hon. Amir Mruma (first left) with other participants attentively following up the ongoing discussion.
Attentive listening.
Judges of the High Court of Tanzania, Hon. Ruth Massam (right) with Hon. Gladys Barthe (left) and other participants following up the panel discussion.
The Chief Court Administrator of the Judiciary of Tanzania, Dr. John Antony Jingu (with light brown suit) and other Participants following the discussion about 'Court-Annexed ADR as a Transformative Tool for Justice Delivery,' Topic chaired by The Chief Justice of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. George Masaju.
Deputy Registrar of the High Court of Tanzania who's also Personal Secretary to the Chief Justice, Hon. Venance Mlingi attending the SEACJF Conference in Zanzibar.
Chief Justices from Southern and Eastern Africa region following up the ongoing discussion about 'Court-Annexed ADR as a Transformative Tool for Justice Delivery,' Topic chaired by The Chief Justice of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. George Masaju.
By MARY GWERA, Judiciary - Zanzibar.
The Chief Justice of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. George Masaju, chaired a panel at the Southern and Eastern Africa Judicial Forum (SEACJF) conference to discuss “Court-Annexed ADR as a Transformative Tool for Justice Delivery.”
Chief Justice Masaju shared his experience on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) within the Tanzanian Judiciary on October 05th, 2026, at the ongoing SEACJF Annual Conference at Hotel Verde in Zanzibar.
He stated that, ADR which he named as the amicable dispute resolution has also been used in Tanzania noting that it was used before the modern methods of dispute settlement.
Hon. Masaju noted: “The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, under Article 107A(2)(d), requires the Judiciary to promote and enhance mediation between disputing parties. Since this is a legitimate method of dispute resolution, what we are doing here has constitutional validity. If it is enshrined in the Constitution, it cannot merely be an ‘alternative’ method; mediation itself is a direct pathway to justice delivery.”
Furthermore, Chief Justice Masaju informed conference participants that the Judiciary of Tanzania operates a Mediation Centre that is performing exceptionally well. Beyond mediation, Hon. Masaju discussed how the Judiciary in Tanzania successfully resolved commercial disputes, helping return over 13 trillion Tanzanian shillings to the country's economic circulation to boost national growth.
Opening the plenary session, the Chair emphasized the imperative of adopting approaches rooted in African dispute resolution practices, proposing a terminology shift from "alternative dispute resolution" to "amicable dispute resolution" to better reflect the continent's cultural approach to settling conflicts.
He noted that under proposed regional procedural frameworks, courts will actively encourage parties to reach amicable settlements within fixed timelines, such as an initial 75-day period, before escalating matters to full trials.
However; the Chair convened other Chief Justices to discuss their jurisdictions' ADR challenges.
The leading panellist, Mr Ron Chari, also presented a position paper on Court-Annexed ADR, while Chief Justices from across Southern and Eastern Africa shared key lessons from their respective jurisdictions.
On his side, Hon. Justice Richard Mwongo, from the Judiciary of Kenya, traced Kenya's court-annexed mediation back to the aftermath of the 2007 post-election violence, when a panel of eminent African mediators including former United Nations Secretary-General Koffi Annan, late former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, and Graça Machel facilitated a political breakthrough.
“That intervention led to the national consensus between the Party of National Unity (PNU) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). The success of that high-stakes mediation sparked a pivotal late-night meeting involving key negotiators, including the late Mutula Kilonzo and representatives from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. The group successfully advocated for the inclusion of dispute resolution mechanisms directly into Kenya's draft constitution,” said Hon. Mwongo.
During the forum, Chief Justice of Kenya, Hon. Martha Koome, acknowledged her recent receipt of the King Sejong Legal Culture Award for Judicial Excellence in South Korea.
"I was honoured by the Republic of South Korea... to celebrate an ancient king who promoted people-centred justice," Chief Justice Koome stated. "I received the award on behalf of all my colleagues who are working with me in Kenya to promote ADR, AJS, court-annexed mediations, Children's Courts, and Small Claims Courts all those working toward making justice responsive to the people."
Justice Koome further highlighted how non-traditional mechanisms like Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) are transforming access to justice across the continent.
Sharing her views during the discussion, Chief Justice Emeritus of Ethiopia, Hon. Meaza Ashenafi, who peer-reviewed the draft guide, highlighted empirical research from the Netherlands-based HiiL Institute showing that demand for legal remedies far exceeds formal judicial capacity. Institutionalizing ADR, she noted, provides court oversight to ensure fairness, enforceability, reduced costs, and faster case resolution.
Hon. Justice Andrew Kaukha from Uganda detailed Uganda's ongoing integration of ADR practices, while Hon. Justice Harrison Mutabazi from Rwanda outlined progress in embedding mediation directly within its formal court structure.
The proceedings opened with reflections from delegates highlighting the importance of sharing regional successes and challenges to address modern legal affairs. Representatives underscored the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), calling it a natural extension of traditional African dispute resolution methods rather than merely an alternative mechanism.
The session concluded with panelists presenting strategies for leveraging smart database systems to improve case management while safeguarding judicial integrity while emphasizing that resolving disputes through culturally aligned, accessible, and fast-tracked mechanisms remains essential to decongesting traditional courtrooms and building a truly people-centred justice system in Africa.
The SEACJF Conference features a range of topics and panel discussions among Chief Justices from across Southern and Eastern Africa to improve justice delivery for citizens in the region.
Additional topics at the ongoing SEACJF Annual Conference include: “Courts of Tomorrow: How AI Will Shape the Judiciary,” “Digital Transformation of Courts: e-Filing, Virtual Hearings, and Case Management Systems,” and “Strengthening Court Administration: Professionalisation, Training, and Institutional Support Systems for Judicial Staff.”
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