The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in Tanzania has successfully handled arbitration cases, saving the government $430.4 million, equivalent to 1.14 trillion Tanzanian shillings, between July 2025 and June 2026. This significant achievement was revealed during a working meeting between the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, Dr. Seif Shekalaghe, and OSG management in Dar es Salaam. The OSG registered 81 arbitration cases during the period, concluding 34 of them.
Deputy Solicitor General Alice Mtulo presented the office's performance report, highlighting that the OSG had also handled a substantial number of civil cases during the same period. A total of 3,069 civil cases involving the government and its institutions were registered, with 1,106 concluded, saving the government 438.6 billion Tanzanian shillings. These achievements demonstrate the OSG's crucial role in protecting public funds and safeguarding the government against financial liabilities.
The OSG continued to record significant savings through both civil and arbitration cases during the subsequent period. Between July and September 2026, the office registered 841 civil cases and concluded 193, saving the government 20.1 billion Tanzanian shillings. In arbitration cases during the same period, the OSG registered 18 cases and concluded nine, saving $24.9 million, 1.6 billion Tanzanian shillings, €31,395, and £1,304.50.
The cases handled by the OSG covered matters with broad national interests, underscoring the importance of effective legal representation in protecting government resources and the wider interests of the nation. The office's efforts have been commended by Dr. Shekalaghe, who recognized the OSG as a guardian of the national economy due to its successful handling and winning of civil and arbitration cases.
Dr. Shekalaghe emphasized the government's responsibility to ensure that the OSG is adequately facilitated to perform its duties effectively, particularly in cases involving significant national economic interest. The Solicitor General, Dr. Ally Possi, highlighted that the OSG had handled civil and arbitration cases within and outside the country for nearly eight years, representing the government and its institutions in economically and strategically important areas.
The areas in which the OSG has handled cases include the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, taxation, energy, minerals, natural gas, and investment. Dr. Possi stressed that the OSG is a guardian of the country's economy, given the substantial amounts of money that the government would be required to pay if it lost a case.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, Ambassador Baraka Luvanda, and members of the OSG management. The OSG's achievements demonstrate its vital role in protecting public funds and ensuring the government's financial interests are safeguarded.
Key points
- The Office of the Solicitor General saved $430.4 million in arbitration cases between July 2025 and June 2026.
- The OSG registered 81 arbitration cases and concluded 34 during the period.
- The office also handled 3,069 civil cases, concluding 1,106 and saving the government 438.6 billion Tanzanian shillings.
