Tanzania establishes Journalists Accreditation Board
What you need to know:
- The establishment of the board has been met with optimism by media stakeholders, who anticipate improved regulation of professional standards.
Dar es Salaam. The Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Jerry Silaa, has established the Journalists Accreditation Board and appointed veteran journalist Dustan Tido Mhando as its chairperson.
This move, in accordance with Section 11 of the Media Services Act No. 12 of 2016, was announced in a statement released by the ministry on Wednesday.
In addition to Mhando, five other members have been appointed to the board.
They are Chief Government Spokesperson and Director of Information Services, Mr Thobias Makoba, the editor for the Kiswahili version of the government-owned Tanzania Standard Newspapers, Mr Mgaya Kingoba; Dr Egbert Mkoko from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) at the University of Dar es Salaam; the Executive Director of the Tanzania Media Women’s Association, Dr Rose Reuben and a Senior State Attorney Ladislaus Komanya.
The appointments took effect on Tuesday, with the members set to serve a three-year term.
The establishment of the board has been met with optimism by media stakeholders, who anticipate improved regulation of professional standards.
Chairman of the Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF), Mr Deodatus Balile, commended the appointments and expressed hope that the board’s existence will reduce the necessity for journalists to face legal action for professional mistakes.
“I am pleased that those appointed have substantial experience in journalism. This development has been anticipated since 2016, and it marks a significant step forward for the profession,” Balile said. He also noted that the creation of the accreditation board sets the stage for the formation of the Independent Media Council of Tanzania.
Chairperson of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-TAN), Salome Kitomari, welcomed the move as a positive implementation of the Media Services Act of 2016.
She praised the experience of the appointed members but also highlighted concerns about gender representation, noting that only one woman is among the six board members.
“It was expected that there would be a more balanced representation, given the number of women professionals in the field and the push for greater female inclusion in decision-making roles,” Kitomari said.
She also pointed out that with the board in place, many professional issues will now be addressed by this new council, marking a significant advancement for the journalism profession.
