Kabudi to launch Journalists Accreditation Board, new press cards

Dar es Salaam.  The Minister for Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi, is set to launch the Journalists Accreditation Board (JAB) and issue the new press cards next week.

The launch is scheduled for March 3, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, as announced by the Ministry's Permanent Secretary and Government Chief Spokesperson, Mr Gerson Msigwa.

During the launch, Minister Kabudi will also hand over the necessary working tools to the board’s chairperson, Mr Tido Mhando, including the Media Policy, the Media Services Act, and its regulations.

The newly established board will be responsible for certifying and issuing press cards to journalists who meet the legal criteria, as well as overseeing the ethics of the journalism profession.

The board is empowered by the Media Services Act, Chapter 229, to issue press cards to journalists across public and private media, as well as to freelancers.

This legal framework ensures that journalists who meet the established criteria can receive official accreditation, helping to strengthen the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and practice in journalism.

Before the board's establishment, the Information department handled the issuance of press cards.

In addition to its primary responsibilities, the board will advise the government on journalism training and curricula at universities, provide ethical journalism training, and collaborate with universities to promote the profession.

The board was officially announced on September 18, 2024, after Minister Kabudi appointed Mr Mhando and six other members, alongside six staff members from the ministry to form the board's secretariat.