High Court of Tanzania

This is the second level in the Judiciary justice delivery hierarchy. It has both appellate and original powers on civil and criminal matters. It also hears appeals from the Courts of Resident Magistrate, the District Courts, and the District Land and Housing Tribunals in exercise of their original, appellate and/or revisional jurisdiction. The High Court is divided into Zones and specialized Divisions. 

Physical address
24 Kivukoni Road, P O Box: S.L.P. 9004
22 judgments

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22 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
June 2013
Applicant's extension‑of‑time application struck out for failing to cite Section 14(1) of the Limitation Act.
Civil procedure – Preliminary objection – Law of Limitation Act, Cap. 89 – Extension of time – Requirement to cite specific enabling provision (Section 14(1)) – Non‑citation renders application incompetent; Revision vs Appeal – procedural competence.
28 June 2013
Dismissal at a First Pre‑Trial Conference was improper; dismissal and review ruling quashed and matter remitted for fresh conference.
Civil procedure – Pre‑trial procedure – First Pre‑Trial Conference – Proper judicial practice at First Pre‑Trial Conference; failure to attend usually warrants adjournment not dismissal. Review – Improper dismissal of suit and review – Quashing of dismissal and remittal for fresh pre‑trial conference. Judicial administration – Last adjournment orders to be sparingly used.
28 June 2013
An arguable allegation of illegality can justify extension of time to lodge an appeal despite procedural delay.
Appellate procedure – extension of time under s.11(1) Appellate Jurisdiction Act – allegation of illegality in impugned decision – court's duty to ascertain alleged illegality – defective record of appeal – negligence not automatically fatal.
27 June 2013
Ambiguous CMA reasons and reliance on a non-existent statutory provision vitiated the dismissal; matter remitted for rehearing.
Labour law — CMA procedure — ambiguous reasons for dismissal; improper statutory citation — reliance on non-existent provision; competence of applications — must comply with Labour Institutions (Mediation and Arbitration) Rules; correct provision for dismissal for non-appearance: s.87(3)(b) ELRA read with rule 28(1) GN 67/2007; change of venue and condonation procedure at CMA.
26 June 2013
Court held an alleged defamatory religious announcement justiciable and High Court had jurisdiction; preliminary objections dismissed.
Constitutional law – Article 19(2) – limits on state regulation of religious activity do not shield alleged defamatory statements made in a congregation from judicial scrutiny. Civil procedure – preliminary objection – justiciability of cause of action. Civil jurisdiction – pecuniary jurisdiction – substantive cause (defamation) determines jurisdiction, not general damages.
26 June 2013
The applicant's defamation claim is justiciable; the High Court may continue hearing despite lower-court competence.
Defamation – Justiciability under Article 19(2) of the Constitution – Article 19(2) inapplicable to alleged defamatory announcements before congregation; Pecuniary jurisdiction – Defamation is a substantive tort, not merely a monetary claim; High Court may continue hearing where proceedings are advanced.
26 June 2013
Notices to vacate issued to long‑term tenants to enable a joint venture were unlawful and the joint venture was void due to fraud and procedural defects.
Land law – Termination of tenancy – Notices to quit – statutory grounds under s.103(1) Land Act; implied covenant of quiet enjoyment Joint venture – public corporation entering JV – requirement for transparency and legality; contract vitiated where partner unincorporated/fraudulent Pre‑emptive/right of first refusal – not statutory in Tanzania but may arise under common law in exceptional circumstances Reliefs – declaratory relief, nullification of JV, refusal of unproven damages
25 June 2013
Rape conviction and 30-year sentence upheld: witness evidence admissible, absence of spermatozoa not fatal to prosecution.
Evidence – Hearsay – Distinction between direct observation and hearsay; witness who saw accused fleeing and complainant in distress gave direct evidence. Evidence – Child witness – Admissibility under s.127(2) Evidence Act; voir dire to assess intelligence and duty to speak truth. Criminal law – Rape – Absence of spermatozoa on PF3 not conclusive; medical signs and independent witness testimony may establish rape. Procedure – Credibility assessments rest with trial court; appellate court will not lightly disturb findings.
24 June 2013
Plaintiffs' plaint disclosed a cause of action challenging the party disciplinary committee's constitutionality despite a later expulsion decision.
Civil procedure – preliminary objection – cause of action – whether plaint discloses essential facts to support claim; timing of cause of action when disciplinary findings precede formal expulsion decision.* Internal party law – challenge to constitutionality of party disciplinary committee and appointments; allegations of violation of natural justice.
24 June 2013
Affidavit jurat lacking attesting officer's name is incurably defective; court struck application but granted leave to refile.
Labour procedure – affidavit jurat – rubber stamp and signature without attesting officer's name – incurable defect rendering application incompetent. Labour Court Rules – Rule 56(1) – court's discretion to allow filing out of time; sufficient cause test applied. Precedent – Felix Francis Mkosamali v. Jamal A. Tamimi; Tanga Cement test for extension of time.
24 June 2013
Deed of settlement upheld as valid; complainants failed to prove lack of free consent.
Contract law – Deed of settlement – validity and enforceability; Free consent – coercion, undue influence, fraud, misrepresentation, mistake; Burden of proof – party alleging duress must prove on balance of probabilities; Settlement clause barring further claims upheld.
24 June 2013
Notice-only application for leave to file revision struck out for failure to file required chamber summons; applicant may reapply with proper application.
Labour procedure; Notice of Application vs. chamber summons; Rule 56(1) Labour Court Rules—requirement to show sufficient reasons for extension of time; functus officio—effect of earlier dismissal of out-of-time revision application; procedural competence to seek extension of time.
24 June 2013
Non-joinder of the mortgagor under Order XXXII R1 requires amendment to add them; suit not automatically dismissed.
Civil Procedure — Mortgage — Order XXXII Rule 1 — Non-joinder of mortgagor — necessary party; remedy by amendment rather than dismissal. Preliminary objection — pure point of law (Mukisa test).
21 June 2013
A CMA award on severance pay was quashed and remitted because jurisdictional preliminary objections were not decided before the merits.
Labour law — procedural irregularity — jurisdictional preliminary objections (limitation/time-bar and pending review) must be decided before merits; failure to do so warrants quashing and remittal. — Severance pay dispute on retirement; interpretation of section 42 ELRA raised but remitted due to jurisdictional defect.
21 June 2013
Conviction for rape of a nine-year-old upheld; sentence substituted to life imprisonment due to the victims age.
Criminal law  Rape of a child under ten  sufficiency of victim and corroborative evidence; admissibility of medical PF3 tendered by investigating officer where medical examiner identifies it; requirement of voir dire under s.127(2)03 Evidence Act and effect of non-compliance; in camera hearing not mandatory because complainant is a child; proper sentence for rape of a girl under ten is life imprisonment (s.131(3) Penal Code).
18 June 2013
18 June 2013
Application struck out for citing the wrong Court of Appeal Rule; leave to refile granted within 30 days.
Civil procedure — Competence of application — Incorrect citation of enabling provision (Court of Appeal Rules) renders application incompetent; Wrong citation not a mere technicality; Court may strike out defective application but may grant leave to refile to cure procedural defect.
18 June 2013
Respondent's undertaking and absence of irreparable harm justified dismissal of the applicant's application for a temporary injunction.
Civil procedure – Temporary injunction – applicability of Atilio v Mbowe test (serious issue, prima facie success, irreparable harm, necessity). Status quo and undertakings – counsel’s undertaking to maintain status quo may render injunction unnecessary. Possession vs title – rectification of title does not automatically negate possession-related considerations. Remedies – irreparable harm and inadequacy of damages as prerequisites for interlocutory relief.
17 June 2013
Temporary injunction refused where applicant failed to show irreparable harm and respondent undertook to maintain status quo.
Land — Interim relief — Temporary injunction under O.37 r.1 CPC; requirements: serious issue, chance of success, irreparable harm; status quo preservation; undertaking by respondent's counsel; application overtaken by events; Registrar’s rectification after forensic finding of forgery.
17 June 2013
Affidavit with blank jurat breached section 10 of the Oaths Act and was struck out; preliminary objection upheld with costs.
Evidence – Affidavits – Jurat requirements – Section 10 Oaths (Judicial Proceedings) and Statutory Declarations Act No. 59 of 1966 – Commissioner for Oaths must state whether deponent was known personally or identified by someone known to Commissioner; blank jurat renders affidavit defective. Civil procedure – Preliminary objection – competency and procedure – notice of preliminary objection acceptable; question determined as pure point of law.
14 June 2013
Affidavit lacking required identification in jurat breaches s.10 Oaths Act and is struck out; preliminary objection upheld with costs.
Oaths Act s.10 – affidavit jurat must state whether Commissioner for Oaths knows deponent personally or who identified deponent; failure to comply renders affidavit defective; procedural form of preliminary objection (Notice) acceptable; preliminary objection raising pure point of law upheld.
10 June 2013
Revision of an interlocutory tribunal order is incompetent; parties must exhaust trial-court remedies first.
Land law – Revision jurisdiction – Interlocutory orders; amendment of pleadings – remedies to be sought in trial tribunal; withdrawal of plaint does not dispose pending counterclaim; retention of Certificate of Title is interlocutory.
7 June 2013