In Tanzania, a tort is a civil wrong, meaning that one person causes harm to another and instead of going to jail, they may be required to pay compensation. While Tanzania does not have a single “Tort Act”, the principles are derived from various statutes and court decisions influenced by English common law.
Think of it this way: If your neighbour’s goat escapes and eats your entire vegetable garden, that is not a criminal case – it is a tort (specifically, nuisance or trespass). You would not call the police; you would want to be compensated for your tomatoes!
Common torts include negligence (for example, a careless driver causing an accident), defamation (spreading false statements about someone) and trespass (entering land without permission). Tanzanian courts may order the wrongdoer to pay damages to “make things right”.
In short, a tort says: “You caused harm – now fix it (preferably with money)!”
