Stakeholders ask for more time to study media bill

Dodoma. Media Stakeholders appeared Wednesday before the parliamentary social services and community development committee and asked for a four months extension to make a proper review  of the Media Services Bill,2016.

According to the committee timetable, media stakeholders were supposed to table their views and suggestions on the bill, but all representatives of 7 organizations asked the committee through its chairman Kigoma North MP (CCM) Peter Serukamba to grant them until February to present their informed opinion.

It all started with the executive secretary of the Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT) Mr Henry Mwanika who told the committee that since the bill was tabled for first reading in the parliament late last month they haven't had an ample time to organize their members across the country go through the bill and air their views.

He said the extension is valid and should not be translated as a delay tactic. The same stance was also expressed by Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF), Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC) and Tangayika Law Society (TLS) among others.

Mr Serukamba however told journalists later that the stakeholders have only one week to table their views.