Along with the recent lifting of the indefinite suspension of 'Mawio', 'Mwanahalisi', 'TanzaniaDaima' and 'Mseto', the Minister of Information, Communication and Information Technology confirmed the Tanzanian government's decision to review repressive media legislation.
This statement was originally published on misa.org on 10 February 2022.
The government of Tanzania recently lifted a ban that had been in place against four newspapers in the country.
MISA Tanzania has today welcomed the decision of the Tanzania government to lift a ban on four newspapers. The newspapers whose indefinite suspension has been lifted are Mawio, Mwanahalisi, TanzaniaDaima and Mseto. The Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Mr Nape Nnauye, also pledged to appoint a team comprising government officials and media practitioners to jointly review the Media Services Act of 2016, with a view to amending the regressive legislation.
When contacted by MISA Tanzania, the publisher of Mawio newspaper, Mr Simon Mkina, applauded the government’s decision.
“It’s important to ensure that all voices are heard by allowing pro-government media to exist side by side with media outlets that are seen to be critical of the government. Media diversity is of paramount importance,” said Mkina, whose Mawio newspaper was suspended for 6 years before today’s lifting of the ban.
MISA Tanzania’s position
We urge all authorities and stakeholders to remove all restrictions on media outlets and allow journalists to operate freely.
MISA-Tanzania appreciates overtures made by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government to improve access to information, freedom of expression and that of the media. But more work needs to be done on that front.
MISA-Tanzania is ready to work with the government to broaden rights and freedoms, including the proposed amendments of the Media Services Act.
