President Samia revives hopes for the mass media in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. Members and other stakeholders of the media fraternity have expressed optimism that the government does have good intentions after all regarding mass media organs in the country.

This comes about following the decision by President

Samia Suluhu Hassan to lift the ban on some online media practitioners whose operating licences had been revoked some time ago, thereby restoring press and related freedoms.

According to observers, the first 100 days of President Hassan’s leadership as Head of State have

restored trust and confidence in the media across the board.

A former Chairman of the Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF), Absalom Kibanda, told The Citizen that new hope in the media fraternity is brought about by some decisions made by the sixth-phase government of Tanzania’s first-ever female President that include assurance to review the Media Services Act (Number 12 of 2016), and lifting the ban on some mass media outlets.

On April 6 this year – a few days after she was formally sworn into the highest office in the land on March 19, 2021 – President Hassan directed officials of the Information ministry to lift the ban on some media outlets.

That decision paints her as a truly democratic leader who has no qualms about the freedom of expression. Tabling the Sh54.742 billion ministerial budget for the

2021/22 financial year in Parliament, Information, Culture, Arts and Sports minister Innocent Bashungwa said 13 claims which were raised by media stakeholders will be worked on accordingly.

“They include enabling artists, innovators and dealers of online news and current affairs to strengthen dissemination of content and broadcasting artistic works free of charge – provided that they abide by provisions of the law,” the minister aid.

Other measures are to strengthen the Tanzania Communications Regulatory

Authority’s (TCRA) structure to enable it to efficiently and effectively oversee broadcasting issues, as well as reduce charges imposed on online television owners and other service providers. This was further commented on by Mr Kibanda when speaking to this paper, saying that Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa recently promised to review the Media Service s Act and its regulations.

Speaking to TEF members, the premier said “These are the first steps of President Hassan’s first 100 days in office that bring hope.”

He noted that the Act and regulations on social media operation have shown optimism after the law was changed – adding that CORI, a union ofvarious media institutions, has started looking into the

Media Services Act sections that have been wreaking havoc with the media.

For his part, the current TEF chairman, Deodatus Balile said that since President Hassan came into office about a hundred days ago, there have been positive and encouraging signs regarding freedom of expression in Tanzania.

“We still have some bottlenecks – in the sense that some government officials have claimed that President Hassan had issued the directive to the effect that only online media outlets whose licences had been revoked were allowed to operate. But, categorically, the decision was for the entire mass media system,” he said.

Media stakeholders have seen her goodwill; her intention to promote media freedom – and they appreciate her new position. But, it’s imperative that her subordinates echo the attitude she has shown.