A: THE MEANING OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW.

Professor H. W. R Wade defines Administrative law as the law relating to thecontrol of govern
mental powers and keeping the powers of the governmentwithin their legal parameters, limits or 
bounds so as to protect the citizens against their abuse.1
Therefore, the primary function of the Administrative law is to keep thegovernmental powers wit
hin the limits of law and to protect private rights andindividual interests. The Administrative law 
attempt to control powers ofgovernment and its instrumentalities and agencies. To achieve the ob
ject, theAdministrative law provides effective mechanism and adequate protection. It
strikes the balances between two conflicting forces which are individuals’ rights
and public interest.2

B: THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW DURING THE POST-

COLONIAL PERIOD.
During colonial government in Tanzania (that time Tanganyika and Zanzibar), a
system of administrating justice was
based on customary arbitration. Afterindependence, the post-colonial states adopted this system 
without any alteration or changes. In 1969 there was a statutory provision which was made
for the creation of a more formal and village based structure known as the
arbitration Tribunals (1969) which was replaced later by the organs called WardTribunals. This 
wards was functioned under the overall control of the district
based local government authorities and among of its functions, was to ensure justice at the local 
community level though amicable settlement of dispute. The
establishment of the local government system in 1984 was official explained
as aiming at enhancing popular participation in administrative development
efforts. The newly established local government system encompassed a newnetwork of administr
ative structures and institutions.3
In 1963 the remarkable case to question the valid of the act of the government
was brought before the court of law in the case of

1
Professor H.W.R Wade, Administativelaw,6th edition, page 4-5.
2
Takwami CK., Lectures on Administrative Law, 4 ed., Eastern Book Company, Lucknow, 2010, pg 1.
3
Yusuf Lawi Q, Manual on Justice Administration Outside the Ordinary Courts of Law in Mainland Tanzania,Publish
ed in Boston University, 2004, pg.1.
Chief Thomas Marealle against the Government in which the court decided in favour of Chief M
arealle
and ordered the government to pay compensation but instead the governmentwent and enacted th
e law called Chiefs (Abolition of Office Consequential
Provisions) Act, which barred any chief in Tanganyika to claim any relief from
court as the result of loss of office.4
In 1985 the remarkable changes occurred whereby the assumption that, the
President or leader can do no wrong became fallacy. This was demonstrated in the case
of Sheikh Abdulla v. The regional Police Commander, Dar es Salaamand others.5
In this case the President of the United Republic of Tanzania hadmade an order that, the applican
t should be deported to Zanzibar fromTanzania Mainland. The order which made under section 2 
of DeportationOrdinance. 
Administrative law in Tanzania developed through the violations of theindividuals rights who se
ek for redress before another arm of the government.Currently, things have been changed. Indivi
duals, groups of people or entitiesare aware and when there is occurrence of breach of the constit
ution or whenthe rights of any person are violated by the government, the action are taken tothe c
ourt of law. Recently in the year of 2014 we witnessed a lot of constitutionalism cases such as
LHRC & Another vs. Hon. Mizengo Pinda & Attorney
General6 in which the Prime Minister was sued from a statement
allegedly made by the Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania,Honourable
Mizengo Kayanza Peter Pinda
while addressing a session of the National Assembly at Dodoma on 20th June, 2013.
The petitioners are aggrieved by this statement, and challenged it on grounds,among others, that, 
it contravenes certain provisions of the Constitution of theUnited Republic of Tanzania, 1977, w
hich prohibit violation of the right to life andseek to protect the rule of law and the right to fair he
aring.7 Another case is the case of Saed Kubenea v. Attorney General,8

4
LHRC, (2014), Tanzania Human Rights Report 2013, LHRC, Dar es Salaam, page 9.
5
 (1985) TLR 1.
6
Misc. Civil Cause No. 24 of 2013 HC at Dar es Salaam (unreported).
7
LHRC & Another vs. Hon. Mizengo Pinda& Attorney General,
 Misc. Civil Cause No. 24 of 2013 HC at Dar esSalaam (unreported).
8
Misc. Civil Cause No.28 of 2014, High Court at Dar es Salaam (unreported).
the petitionerwas praying A declaration of the court on the proper interpretation of theprovisions 
of section 25 (1) and (2) of the Constitutional Review Act; and Adeclaration of the court on whet
her the Constituent Assembly has powers tomaterially alter the contents of the Draft Constitution 
as presented to it by the
Constitutional Review Commission, and to what extent.9 From the examples ofthe cases provide
d herein it is clear that Administrative law development is inprogress and the court play a vital ro
le as far as Administrative law is concerned.

C: REASONS FOR THE GROWTH OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW.

The development of administrative law during the post-colonial has been influenced by the
following reasons:

a) There is a radical change in the philosophy of the role played by the state.
The negative policy of maintaining law and order and social welfare is changing. The state has
not confined its scope to the traditional and minimum functions of defense and administration of
justice, but has adopted the positive policy and as a welfare state has undertaken to perform
varied functions.

b) The legislative process was also inadequate.

It had no time and technique to deal with all the details. It was impossible for it to lay down
detailed rules and procedures, and even when detailed provisions were laid down by the
legislature, they have found to be defective and inadequate. Therefore, it was necessary to
delegate some powers to the administrative .

c) There is scope for experiments in administrative process.

Here unlike, in legislation, it is not necessary to continue a rule until commencement of the next
session of the legislature. Here a rule can be made, tired for some time and if it is defective, can
be altered or modified within a short period. Thus, legislation is rigid in character, while the
administrative process is flexible.

9
Saed Kubenea v. Attorney General, Misc. Civil Cause No.28 of 2014, High Court at Dar es Salaam(unreported).
 d) The administrative authorities can avoid technicalities.
Administrative law represents functional rather than a theoretical and legislative approach. The
traditional judiciary is conservative, rigid and technical. It is impossible for courts to decide
cases without formality and technicality. Administrative tribunals are not bound by rules of
evidence and procedure and they can take a practical view of the matter to decide complex
problems.
e) Administrative authorities can take preventive measures.
Unlike regular courts of law, they do not have to wait for parties to come before them with
disputes. In many cases, these preventive actions may prove to be more effective and useful than
punishing a person after he has committed a breach of law. As freeman says, ‘Inspection and
grading of meat answers the consumer’s need more adequately than does a right to sue the seller
after the consumer injured.10

D: CONCLUSION.
The
administrative law has various relevancy in today society, the mostrelevancies are, to improve th
e quality, efficiency and effectiveness of thegovernment decision making generally and enable p
eople to test thelawfulness and merits of decisions that affect them.11 A
person whose interests are affected by the government (or administrative)can challenge to that de
cision to the court of law12
such as The High Court ofTanzania, Administrative Appeal Tribunal, Tax Appeal Board or throu
ghinvestigatory agency such as Commission for Human Rights and GoodGovernance.

10
Maganga M.J, Administrative law, (2019), pg 14 & 15.
11
BettleMcNee,(2000), Public Administrative and Private Corporation, pg 1.
12
BettleMcNee,(2000), Public Administrative and Private Corporation, pg 1.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.

ARTICLE
MAJURA, I , (2018), The History of Administrative Law in Tanzania.

BOOK
MAGANGA, M.J, (2019), Administrative Law.