Law of Tanzania

The judiciary of Tanzania rests on the 1977 Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania and runs two separate hierarchies, one for Tanzania Mainland and one for Zanzibar. British colonial rule shaped the mainland system after Britain took control of Tanganyika in 1920, when Article 17 of the Tanganyika Order in Council of 1920 established the High Court of Tanganyika under English common law, and Tanzania retained this dual structure after independence in 1961 and the union with Zanzibar. The mainland hierarchy runs from the Court of Appeal, established in 1979 as the final appellate body for the union, down through 14 regional High Courts, Resident Magistrate and District Courts created under the 1984 Magistrates Courts Act, and roughly 700 Primary Courts handling customary criminal and civil cases, while Zanzibar keeps its own High Courts and uniquely preserves Kadhi Courts for Islamic law matters heard with the consent of the parties.