Litigation is the most preferred method for resolving disputes in Tanzania. However, litigating in state courts throughout the world has got its challenges. One of the challenges is the time spent in prosecuting the matter. This challenge becomes even bigger when the amount claimed is seen as "a small claim" and one may wonder whether it makes any financial prudence to pursue a small claim for years or to forego the claim. It should also be noted that the time taken to prosecute the matter in court has an effect on the costs of the proceedings.

Litigants have now got the solution to the problem of chasing small claims in courts of law. On 10 March 2023, the Chief Justice of Tanzania through government notice No. 159 of 2023 introduced new rules recognised as The Magistrates' Courts (Small Claims Procedure) Rules, 2023 (the New Rules). The New Rules provide for the procedure for litigating small claims in the District and Resident Magistrate Courts. Small claims have been defined as claims not exceeding 100 million Tanzanian shillings and are not within the pecuniary jurisdiction of primary courts.

The New Rules have set the peculiarity of litigating small claim matters at District and Resident Magistrate Courts, including how the claim is to be initiated and procedures for hearing the matter until its finality. The New Rules provide for a specific time frame for adjudicating small claims, which is approximately five months.

This will surely expedite the litigation process of small claims in District and Resident Magistrate Courts. It may make economic sense for a litigant to litigate in state courts, even for small claims. The New Rules have also provided room for a party with a claim exceeding 100 million Tanzanian shillings to relinquish or omit a portion of its claim to fit in a small claim case and hence qualify for the expedited proceedings.

Prior to the introduction of the New Rules, it was most unlikely for a matter to be determined within five months from the date of its institution.