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The Role of ICTs in managing Electronic Records in the Commercial Division of the High Court of Tanzania

Maulid Dotto

Abstract

This study establishes the link between ICTs and poverty reduction strategy by investigating the extent to which implementation and utilisation of ICTs/e-records management systems enhances court operation in the Commercial Division of the High Court of Tanzania. The motivation of the study was to understand why the commercial court still utilises the conventional records management system despite the installation of new information and communication technologies and some training of staff in the various aspects of electronic records management. A total of 60 respondents were involved, 49 among them managed to respond to the study. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather data for the study. Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) version 1.9 and Audacity Open Source software were employed in data analysis. Despite constraints and challenges identified in the study, the results show that ICTs/e-records management systems improved access to information and documents; speed up court services; reduction of time delay of the court proceedings; job improvement; reduction of paper work and operating costs in the Commercial Division of the High Court of Tanzania. Thus, the study establishes the link between ICTs/e-records management systems and poverty reduction strategy. The findings suggest that the Judiciary should formulate an integrated ICT policy and harmonise the legal framework to give direction towards effective and efficient implementation and utilisation of ICTs in judicial proceedings and operations.

Keywords: ICTs, E-records management, Commercial Division, Poverty, Tanzania legal sector     

Proceedings of The 1st COTUL Scientific Conference Held On 25th – 28th November 2014