Misa-Tan report calls for missing journalists probe
Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) journalist Azory Gwanda who mysteriously disappeared from his workstation in Kibiti District, Coast Region. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Report also has issued several recommendations to the minister responsible for information, domestic and foreign Civil Society Organisations
Misa-Tan Dar es Salaam. A new report launched yesterday has called President Samia Suluhu Hassan to form a special investigation committee that would probe incidents of missing journalists and those whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Report by the Media Institute of Southern Africa of the Tanzania Chapter (Misa-Tan) dubbed: Tanzania Media Trends Analysis Report for 2015-2020 recommends the Head of State to take two more actions.
Report also has issued several recommendations to the minister responsible for information, domestic and foreign Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as well Tanzanians aimed at flourishing the media fraternity in the country.
But, the call extended to the Head of State could be a new struggle to the search of Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) journalist Azory Gwanda who mysteriously disappeared from his workstation in Kibiti District, Coast Region.
No tangible report has been issued by the government and security agencies since the incident’s occurrence on 8am of November 2017.
Reports from the area made it that the journalist was taken by four men in a white Toyota Land Cruiser that arrived at Mr Gwanda’s workplace.
But, launching the report yesterday, a senior journalist and Mwanza Region Press Club chairman, Mr Edwin Soko said report has also recommended the president to issue a clear and public directive to government officials to stop intimidations, obstructions, harassments and torture to journalists.
“The President should also publicly condemn reports of violence against journalists perpetrated by security agents,” he said.
He said the report wants the minister responsible for Information, Mr Nape Nnauye to create a conducive environment for media operation that would be free from unwarranted state interference as stipulated in the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) Constitution and international charters.
Mr Soko said the minister should prepare a groundwork for amendment of restrictive laws such as the Cybercrimes Act, Media Services Act 2016 and Media Services Regulations 2017. Others are the Electronic and Postal Communications Act 2010, Online Content Regulations and the Statistics Act 2015 and its regulations.
“The minister should also guarantee proper and sufficient public participation in amending laws affecting freedom of expression, access to information and media services that were enacted including enough input from direct stakeholders,” he said.
Regarding the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), he called domestic societies to oversee capacity building initiatives to help journalists navigate restrictive laws and legal challenges arising therefrom.
He said report recommendations want foreign CSOs to increase financial and technical support to local CSOs in order to influence positive changes to local media laws.
“Provide similar technical support to lawmakers to enable them enact law changes that comply with international standards,” he said, noting lobbying campaigns should also be escalated among government officials and lawmakers sharing interests.
Furthermore, he said the report wants CSOs to ensure that credible and effective investigations are extended to cases involving possible abuses against journalists and speak publicly on the need for Tanzania to respect regional and international obligations on the freedom of expression, association etc.
“Citizens are required to support the crusade for positive changes to restrictive media laws through online platforms and physical engagements with respective members of the parliament,” he said.
Tabling report findings, Mr Soko said 60 respondents from Mwanza, Dar es Salaam, Geita, Mara, Pwani, Dodoma, Morogoro, Kagera, Mtwara, Shinyanga, Iringa and Njombe regions were interviewed.
In the interview, the key questions aimed to establish laws affecting the media operations, problems associated with the laws and possible remedies.
“Ninety percent of academicians and lawyers asserted that while freedom of expression may be enshrined under Article 18 of the URT Constitution, most accompanying statutory laws stifle enjoyment of the freedom,” he said.
“Eighty percent of respondents indicate that since 2015 the right to freedom of expression in Tanzania had been shrinking fast as witnessed by political interferences and unjustifiable practices against the media and CSOs,” he added.
Furthermore, he said research findings show that 85 percent of respondents advised that all laws affecting media freedom should be amended so as to suit the people’s needs and align with international standards.
Speaking during the event, Zanzibar Broadcasting Commission (ZBC) executive secretary Suleiman Said Salim said the report has come at the right time as the Isles government is amending the Media Services Act (MSA).
“You should keep telling us the truth in order to keep us well informed on challenges facing the industry. We are ready to listen and take action,” he said.
