Tanzania tops the East African Community in media freedom rankings

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has topped the East African Community (EAC) region with the best media freedom rankings, according to the new rankings by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Ranked at the 97^th position globally in the latest report, Tanzania has climbed 46 places compared to the 2022 standings, an improvement attributed to the new administration's approach to loosening the grip on the right to news and information and the freedom to report.

The 21st edition of the World Press Freedom Index (WPF), compiled annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), evaluates the environment for journalism in 180 countries and territories and is published on World Press Freedom Day (May 3).

Tanzania was the only country in the EAC to feature in the top 100 of the WPFI.

Kenya was ranked 102nd, Burundi 108th, Uganda 128th, the Democratic Republic of the Congo 123rd, Rwanda 144th, Somalia 145th and South Sudan 136th.

In Africa, according to the RSF, journalism overall has become more difficult and the situation is now classified as “bad” in nearly 40 percent of its countries (against 33 percent in 2022).

RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said the World Press Freedom Index shows enormous volatility in situations, with major rises and falls and unprecedented changes.

“This instability is the result of increased aggressiveness on the part of the authorities in many countries and growing animosity towards journalists on social media and in the physical world,” he said.

In global rankings, Norway is ranked first for the seventh year in a row and a non-Nordic country, namely Ireland, came in 2nd (after jumping 4 places), ahead of Denmark (down 1 place at 3rd).

The last three places are occupied solely by Asian countries: Vietnam (178th); China (down 4 at 179th); and North Korea (180th).