state of the media report - mct...reference number dsmz/cid/b.1/volxx/128 which ordered them to...

MEDIA COUNCIL OF TANZANIA (MCT)

2014

STATE OF THEMEDIA REPORT

© Media Council of Tanzania (MCT)

Printed: March, 2015

ISBN 978 - 9987 - 710 - 54 - 6

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State of the Media Report: 2014

Media Council of Tanzania (MCT)

Table of Contents

Abbreviations .......................................................................... vi

Chapter One2014 remained unpleasant for Press Freedomin Tanzania ............. 1By Hamis Mzee

Chapter TwoElusive promises on media laws and policies ................... 15By Juma Thomas

Chapter ThreeGood and bad aspects about Tanzania’s ICT ecosystem ....... 29By Henry Muhanika

Chapter FourMCT and the President’s promise ....................................... 55By Ndimara Tegambwage

Chapter FiveNo end to stalemate on Zanzibar media sector reforms ......... 65By Ally Saleh

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Table of Contents


Abbreviations

MCT – Media Council of TanzaniaTEF – Tanzania Editors ForumTBC - Tanzania Broadcasting CorporationITV - Independent TelevisionPCCB – Prevention and Combating of Corruption

Bureau KMKM - Anti Smuggling UnitCA - Constituent AssemblyCORI Coalition for the Right to InformationCRC - Constitutional Review CommissionMCC - Media Constitutional CouncilMISA Media Institute of Southern AfricaMISA-TAN - Media Institute of Southern Africa-Tanzania

ChapterNBS - National Bureau of StatisticsNIDA - National Identity AuthorityOGP - Open Government PartnershipUNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural OrganisationATU - African Telecommunication UnionEACO - East African Communication OrganizationHERIN - Higher Education and Research Institutions

NetworkICB - International Competition BiddingICT - Information and Communication Technology ITU - International Telecommunications UnionMCST - Ministry of Communication, Science and

Technology MNP - Mobile Number Portability MOAT - Media Owners Association of Tanzania NICTBB - National Information, Communication and

Technology Broadband BackboneRFA - Radio Free AfricaRCIP - Regional Communication Information

Program

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STHEP - Science and Technology HigherEducation Project

TEA - Tanzania Education AuthorityTTMS - Telecommunications Traffic Monitoring

SystemTPDC - Tanzania Petroleum Development Company UCSAF - Universal Communication Services

Access Fund.CCM - Chama cha MapinduziCUF - Civic United FrontGNU – Government of National UnityMLRC – Media Law Review CommissionNACTE - National Council for Tertiary Education PPC - Pemba Press ClubSFCG – Search for Common GroundTCRA - Tanzania Communication Regulation

Authority WAHAMAZA - Zanzibar Journalists for DevelopmentZanID - Zanzibar National IdentityZBC – Zanzibar Broadcasting CommissionZCTV – Zanzibar Cable TelevisionZHR – Zanzibar House of RepresentativesZJMC - Zanzibar Journalism and Mass Media

CollegeZMUX – Zanzibar Multiplex OperatorZPC – Zanzibar Press ClubDD District Director DMO District Medical Officer EJAT Excellence in Journalism Awards TanzaniaFIA Freedom of Information ActGP Global PublishersIJ Investigative JournalismMS - Media ServicesNACTE - National Council for Technical Education OFM - Operesheni Fichua MaovuRTI - Right To InformationTANESCO - Tanzania Electric Supply Company

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Abbreviations


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Chapter One

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2014 remained unpleasant forpress Freedom in tanzania

By Hamis Mzee

With the exception of two landmark activities - the historic meet-ings between media key players and representatives of state se-curity organs and the joint forum of the media and the judiciary, 2014 was just another unpleasant year for the media.

September 18, a day after the meeting between media and statesecurity organs which was opened by Vice President Dr. Mo-hamed Gharib Bilal, the police physically bashed reporters whowere following a story on the arrest of a prominent oppositionleader - Freeman Mbowe, Chairman of Chama cha Demokrasiana Maendeleo (CHADEMA)

In his opening address to the one day meeting organized by theMedia Council of Tanzania (MCT), Dr. Bilal appealed to the twosides – the media and the state security organs to cooperate.

He said the media should not be seen as enemies of state secu-rity organs, and the former should understand the position ofthe latter.

1Media Council of Tanzania (MCT)

It was unfortunate that after such a statement, the police went onto rough up journalists Joseph Isango of Tanzania Daima,Shamim Ausi of Hoja and Yusuf Badi of Tanzania StandardNewspapers (TSN). MCT and the Tanzania Editors Forum(TEF) roundly condemned the police for the beastly action. Thepolice action is a manifestation of infringement of freedom ofexpression and press freedom.

It is also ironical that this situation arose at a time when MCThad just conducted courses on reporting in volatile situationsfor journalists throughout the country.

The Council ran the courses after the publication of a book onReporting on Volatile Situations, authored by two renownedjournalists with vast experience in covering crisis situations -Valery Msoka who worked for the BBC and Anaclet Rwe-gayura, who worked for international agencies such as PanAfrican News Agency (Pana) and the Rome based Inter Press Serv-ices (IPS). The two were assigned to write the book by MCT.

The training prepares journalists to be alert and careful whencaught in crisis points, as no story is worth a reporter’s life. Vet-eran journalist and author Atilio Tagalile speaks highly of thetraining on reporting on volatile situations.

Tagalile ,who was one of the trainers, believes that reporters whohad attended the training would not have gotten embroiled ina clash with the police. They would always be wary and care-ful. He therefore said there was a need for more journalists tobe trained on the preparedness of covering crisis situations.

The Executive Secretary of MCT, Kajubi Mukajanga, agrees onthe necessity of training more reporters on the issues and saidhis Council would take necessary measures to ensure morejournalists receive the training as the country is poised for the2015 general elections, which may engender more flash points.

The response by the Government spokesperson, Director of In-

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formation Services Assah Mwambene, as reported by Mtan-zania on September 24, turned out to be that the government wasnot aware of reporters who were beaten or hassled by the po-lice. To some observers, this was interpreted to reflect official in-sensitivity of the government concerning the plight andworking conditions of journalists.

In late April, 2014, the newsroom of Majira newspaper wasraided and the invaders made away with crucial documents andphotographs retrieved from the desk drawers of the editors andstaff. No one was arrested for the break-in which the police hadallegedly advised the newspaper not to make public.

Whoever was behind the break-in had succeeded in scaring thepaper’s journalists from doing investigative stories, accordingto Majira’s Managing Editor Imma Mbuguni.

The incident is among several recorded in the Register of PressFreedom Violations for the year, established by MCT. A total of 26violations were recorded in the Press Freedom Violations Regis-ter. They ranged from confiscation/damage of equipment, de-nied access to information, violent or forceful eviction fromevent scene, threats/intimidation, harassment, assault, unlawfularrest, fine and censorship..

Cases of confiscation or damaging of equipment include a Feb-ruary, 2014 incident where a Mwananchi newspaper journalist,Christopher Maregesi based in Mara region was reported tohave been beaten up, his camera and laptop confiscated, al-legedly by a group of Chama Cha Mapinduzi( CCM ) cadres inthe region.

The journalist was trapped in the tragedy when he was balanc-ing a story about the kidnap and torture of a member ofCHADEMA opposition party, who is said to have been kid-napped and tortured by CCM zealots. Maregesi was molested ashe was taking photographs.

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2014 remained unpleasant for Press Freedom in Tanzania: Hamis Mzee


Following the incident, the Chairperson of Mara Press Club an-nounced publicly that Mara region journalists will not cover anyCCM event because the mishandling of journalists by CCMsupporters was not acceptable as it was against Article 18 of theConstitution of the United Republic of Tanzania.

However, through the intervention of the Mara Press Club, thecamera and laptop were later returned to Maregesi and an apol-ogy was made.

Another peculiar incident of denial of access and confiscation ofequipment was reported in Singida, in June 2014. Three jour-nalists based in Singida region, namely Leonard Manga (TBC1),Elisante Mkumbo (ITV) and Festo Sanga (Standard Radio) hadtheir cameras and equipment taken away, thus denying themaccess to cover an accident involving three cars that were part ofthe Uhuru Torch race. As in the previous case, the cameras werelater returned to the journalists a day after the incident.

Other cases were reported in Simiyu, Kagera, Mwanza,Shinyanga,Dar es Salaam,Kilimanjaro, Dodoma and Coast re-gions.

Editors and Newspaper Executives were not spared in thepress freedom violations. In July, 2014, the Managing Editor ofNipashe newspaper, Jesse Kwayu, and the Managing Director ofThe Guardian Limited, Kiondo Mshana, were summoned by thepolice in Dar es Salaam for questioning over stories that werepublished in one of the issues of Nipashe newspaper, depictinghow local patrol police on motorcycles are corrupt.

Kwayu and Mshana, alongside other journalists, reported toSuperintendent of Police Amani Makanyaga, with the letter ofreference number DSMZ/CID/B.1/VOLXX/128 which orderedthem to report to the police station for questioning.

Surprisingly, the Head of Criminal Investigation in Dar esSalaam Special Zone, Jafari Ibrahimu, explained that there must

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have been mistakes done by his colleagues as his office had noinformation regarding the summons. He apologized over thematter during a press conference held at the police station.

This is perplexing and unbelievable. How an official letter can bedispatched to a newspaper office and later be denied by a sen-ior police official! It is just one of the incidences of deliberate at-tempts to scare the media.

Nipashe Editor Kwayu was on the hook again when he was chal-lenged by the authorities to provide an explanation to a storywhich the government was not amused with.

The newspaper had carried a story on September, 2014 withthe headline of Bunge la Katiba Hasara, meaning the ConstituentAssembly was a waste of money. This story was deemed by thegovernment as an incitement to the public.

Nipashe’s article reflected on the costs involved in the processof writing the new Constitution, noting that the money spentwas more than Tsh 120 billion, which could have been enoughto build 600 dispensaries.

State organs and mediaFollowing deliberate efforts by MCT, representatives of themedia and state organs ranging from Immigration, Prisons ,PCCB - the Anti corruption bureau, Anti -smuggling Unit(KMKM), Judiciary Intelligence services and the InformationServices (MAELEZO) met for the first time at the Hyatt Re-gency the Kilimanjaro Hotel in Dar es Salaam to map out howto cooperate and promote reliable, responsible and conduciveworking relationship.

The police, which participated actively in the preparation of themeeting, did not attend due to what was explained as pressingnational matters.

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Much water had passed under the bridge before the two sidesopted to sit for amicable discussion. Although the meeting wasnot meant to trade accusations , yet some issues could not be leftout.

The media was told that in some cases it was acting irrespon-sibly by publishing unsubstantiated and unbalanced sensitiveinformation.

An example was cited at the meeting where a section of thepress had reported that the famous locally based Congolese mu-sician, Babu Seya, who has been jailed for life for defiling chil-dren had been pardoned and released from prison.

Though the information was false, its impact was immeasurablewith higher up authorities ordering senior prison officials to es-tablish its authenticity.

A senior prison Commissioner who attended the meeting withthe media said the information created unnecessary pressureand worries among prison authorities. He said they had to go toprison physically to establish that the said musician was still injail!

Some journalists were also blamed for soliciting cash in order topublish or broadcast stories. It was claimed that where moneydoes not change hands, then the events are not covered

Director for Information Assah Mwambene cited a number ofincidents where he had summoned editors to his office to seekclarification on some of the stories published in newspaperswhich turned out to be incorrect.

At the end of the day, the two sides reached a common under-standing to improve their working relations ship.

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Judiciary - Media ForumThe theme of the forum which brought together Judges and Ed-itors of various media outlets , including mainstream media,was Independent Judiciary and Media are Bedrock of Public Confi-dence in the Rule of Law.The forum was jointly organized by theJudiciary and MCT.

Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, who is credited for ini-tiating the idea of the forum, set the tone of the meeting sayingboth the media and the judiciary work in the public interest .

In covering the courts, the Chief Justice noted that the media re-lays justice to million eyes and ears and as the judiciary dis-penses justice, it provides raw material to journalists.

The Chief Justice noted that the forum would promote positiveinteraction and understanding of the two sides and addressprofessional limitations.

The President of the Governing Board of MCT, Rtd JusticeThomas Mihayo noted that the forum would minimize the mis-trust between the two sides. The Judiciary, according to JusticeMihayo, was in the past complaining about the inaccuracies inreporting court proceedings while the media was complainingabout strict court regulations.

During the Joint Forum held at MwalimuNyerere InternationalConvention Centre in Dar es salaam, the Executive Secretary ofMCT, Kajubi Mukajanga, presented a paper titled Judiciary andMedia Working Together: safeguarding Independence and Profes-sionalism in Service of the People and emphasized that the twoneed each other

Justice Dr. Fauz Twaib presented a paper titled The Scope andLimits of the Independence of media : Maintaining a Balanced Viewof the Rule of Law, and emphasized the need to report court issuesaccurately.

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The constructive exchanges during the one-day forum werecapped with plausible proposals on opening closer coopera-tion between the two sides.

Prominent among them is the judiciary to set up an Informa-tion Unit which will disseminate some information to the mediaand provide specialized training to journalists at the Lushotobased Judiciary Training Centre.

General trends in newspapersThe media, particularly newspapers, played a pivotal role in in-forming the public and shaping their opinion during the yearunder review. They widely covered the Constituent Assemblyand the entire new constitution making process which came upwith the proposed constitution expected to be voted for in areferendum scheduled for April 30,2015.

Towards the end of the year 2014, exposure by the media of theshady deals on the Tegeta escrow account led to a parliamen-tary investigation whose findings compelled the governmentto take action against senior officials, including relieving oneMinister of her duties.

The Minister for Lands, Prof Anna Tibaijuka who had receivedTsh 1.6 billion from a businessman was dropped from the cab-inet. The Attorney General resigned and a Principal Secretarywas suspended to pave way for investigations.

The Citizen newspaper was particularly credited by the Parlia-mentary Committee for its exclusives on the Escrow Accountscandal.

Shrinking salesDespite sterling performance in terms of coverage of importantissues, most newspapers faced the problem of falling sales.

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Due to plummeting sales, some newspapers could not effec-tively meet their obligations, including that of timely payingstaff salaries.

Towards the end of the year, Mwananchi Communications – thepublishers of the Citizen, Mwananchi, and Mwanaspoti was com-pelled to retrench some of its staff.

Stiff competition from other players contributed to plummetingof sales. An insider at the company said it was very unfortunatethe paper had assumed it was the market leader ,which he saidwas not only wrong but also misleading in today’s World ofcompetition.

Opening the annual Professonal Ethics Symposium organizedby MCT on June 24, 2014 , whose theme was Celebrating twodecades of pluralism and diversity of media in Tanzania, the formerPresident of the MCT Goverrning Board, Rtd Justice Dr. RobertKisanga said expansion of the media during the two post lib-eralization decades was behind the cutthroat competition.

It is noted that the number of media outlets has increased fromone state radio to 85, mainly private owned radio stations, fromtwo official newspapers to over 800 registered newspapers, andfrom one TV station in the Isles to 26 Television stations.

Reacting to the retrenchment at Mwananchi, some media prac-titioners voiced concern, particularly on the retrenchment ofjournalists, pointing out that the management should haveopted for other alternatives as the papers need to expand interms of areas of coverage and need for specialization.

The expansion of social media, with increased numbers of blog-gers, has also compounded the challenges facing the conven-tional media.

Information spreads fast through social media and the increasednumber of television stations do not help matters for newspa-

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pers.

The decline in newspaper readers can also be attributed to thetightening economic situation obtaining in the country.

Another important factor contributing to the dwindling of news-paper sales is the tendency of radio and television stations to re-view the papers daily.

Some of these stations go overboard, as instead of reading orshowing the highlights, they read the whole front page andsome stories in inside pages, editorial and sport pages! Afterknowing the gist of what is contained in the papers from theradio and television reviews, why would one buy the papers?

It should be noted that as the radio and television stations com-pete to attract listeners and viewers, newspapers also competefor readers. Hence, the above mentioned practice is unfair tonewspapers

In an attempt to bolster income, several newspaper houses, in-cluding Mwananchi Communications, have introduced onlineeditions.

Government support neededAs newspapers play an important role of informing the publicto raise awareness on various issues and thereby help spur de-velopment, it is pertinent that the government should take de-liberate steps to help newspapers to survive.

It should consider taking steps, including reducing or waivingtax on newsprint, to help minimize production costs. Also thegovernment as big advertiser should fairly distribute advertise-ments to the media and expedite timely payment.

In advertising , the government is blamed for not only practic-ing preferential treatment in favour of government owned out-

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lets, but also for delaying payments and thus worsening the fi-nancial woes of the media.

Change of heart necessaryIt is unfortunate that these proposals to the government to pro-vide assistance to the media may not be heeded as there is nolink between the two sides. The Minister of Information hasbeen maintaining a distance since assuming the informationportfolio.

Editors, through the Tanzania Editors Forum, have presentedtheir case to both the Prime Minister and the Vice President con-cerning the need for the Ministry to improve relations with themedia.

The editors voiced their concern on this matter to the two topleaders during dinner functions hosted for the media by the lat-ter, and the latest was on November 14, 2014 by the Vice Presi-dent Dr. Mohamed Bilal.

As for now the Ministry seems only to care about the welfare ofstate media - Daily News, Habari Leo newspapers and TBC, bothTV and Radio.

Public media or state media?It is becoming evident that what is expected to be public mediais assuming the role state media. The pattern of events coverageby media outlets assuming the role of state media is deliber-ately controlled and one insider at TBC confided that there isdirect control, and sometimes dictation on what to cover andwhat to dismiss.

You do not find exposures in the state media but only what theofficial line wants. When the local government elections heldon December 14,2014 were bungled in some areas, the DailyNews came up with a headline that the polls were calm while

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other media outlets, mainly private ones, projected the failuresand chaos that had prevailed.

Surprisingly, a few days later when the Minister in-charge oflocal government fired some district directors for negligence, thesame paper carried the story. If the polls were calm and notchaotic as reported by other media outlets, why did the directorsface the music?

Responsible journalismWhile the government may be blamed for heavy-handedness,some sections of the media are noticeably going overboard andat times engaging in irresponsible coverage.

Some outlets are abdicating professionalism and embracing po-litical activism. At times political reporting is much skewed tosuit the taste and feelings of the editors.

Tanzania Daima newspaper of September 9,2014 ,issue No 3567,in a front page lead profusely retracted another front page leadstory it carried in its issue 3555, of August 28,2014 which por-trayed the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr.Jakaya Kikwete, in a bad light.

It is important that journalists should desist from acting as ac-tivists but present facts in a clear manner to let readers un-derstand and make informed decisions.

Going overboard with skewed and unsubstantiated political sto-ries may provide excuses to government officials like the Di-rector of Information Services, who is also Registrar ofnewspapers, to frequently harass the media.

It is important for media practitioners to realize that the abhor-rent legislations against the media still exist - hence the need totread carefully for survival. Meanwhile, it is also pertinent thatthey all support the efforts to demand more freedom and have

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all the bad laws repealed and relegated to the dustbin of his-tory.

Tanzania Editors ForumIn streamlining and ascertaining ethical conduct and profes-sionalism, for three years now the Media Council of Tanzaniaand the Tanzania Editors Forum have been holding Consulta-tive Summits

On May 29 to 30, 2014 the MCT and Editors summit was heldin Machame where, among other things, professional issues andconcerns including the relations with the government of the daywere deliberated on and ironed out.

The summits have been useful in charting cooperation betweenthe editors as they provide a platform to sort out things and im-prove performance of the media, despite prevailing many oddsand challenges.

In March 2014, the Editors held a retreat in Mtwara where theyalso discussed professional issues and way forward for the body.The question of holding elections was raised and the office bear-ers indicated that the elections would be held by October or No-vember, 2014.

However, no elections were held by November and the issueseemed to have been forgotten. TEF Secretary Neville Meena ex-plained that there were no funds for holding elections, an ex-planation that was dismissed by other editors, with somealleging that the leadership is using it as a ruse to continuehanging on to power.

In any case, generation of revenue seems a major handicap forthe Forum which has been dependent on the support of corpo-rate organizations.

Despite the fear of compromising editorial independence, the

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leadership of TEF has been seeking financial support from bigcorporations like the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Na-tional Provident Fund( NPF) and National Housing Corpora-tion (NHC).

The support include provision of hefty allowances to editors. Itis no wonder that some of the big corporations undertakinghuge projects gobbling colossal amounts of money are free fromprying eyes of the media.

This situation definitely calls for urgent measures to extricatethe editors from being ‘baby seated’ by big corporations.

ConclusionThe tone of cooperation and promoting improved working re-lationship reflected in the two meetings between the media andthe state security organs as well as the one with the Judiciaryshould be a turning point.

As stated in the various presentations and statements madeduring these engagements, the media and state organs needeach other as they all work in the public interests. What isneeded now is to cultivate a binding trust between the two sidesand promote transparency and accountability,

Generally for the media, it is pertinent that they work tirelesslyto better performance by adhering to professional ethics.

ReferencesRegister of Press Freedom Violation 2014

Speech by Justice Dr. Robert Kisanga

Interviews of media practitioners

Media Watch, issues of 2014

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Chapter tWO

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elusive promises onmedia laws and policies

By Juma Thomas

Two plausible scenarios that offered the insights into a path for-ward towards legislating progressive media laws emerged in2004, giving media stakeholders hope that at last the muchawaited decent media laws are inevitable this time around.

The first scenario is the statement of bold commitment made byPresident Jakaya Kikwete in September 2014 regarding friendlymedia laws.

The second scenario is the endorsement of the final draft of theproposed Constitution by the Constituent Assembly in Octoberlast year.

While attending the Open Government Partnership (OGP)Forum in London last September, President Kikwete assured theWorld that Tanzania will have a freedom of information law byFebruary 2015 .

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Elusive promises on media laws and policies: Juma Thomas


The President, who is among the World leaders championingthe OGP initiative, said the draft bill of the Freedom of Infor-mation law was in final stages where different stakeholderswere consulting and giving final recommendations before it istabled in Parliament.

OGP is a multilateral initiative that commits governments topromote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, andstrengthen good governance, all of which cannot be attained ina country that embraces oppressive media laws and where thecitizens have no access to information.

Tanzania joined the OGP in December, 2011, making it one ofthe few African countries to join the initiative. It was qualified tojoin after promising to promote transparency and making thegovernment more compliant in providing the people with rele-vant information.

And the Head of State made it clear when addressing the OGPforum that the envisaged law intends to give the citizens a rightto know what their government is doing.

The President’s intention was to see the bill tabled in Parliamentfor deliberations in November 2014. However, this did not hap-pen for the year ended without the bill being tabled to Parlia-ment.

The Ministry of Information, Youth,Culture and Sports, the re-sponsible institution to table the bill, is confident that the lawwill become operational before President Kikwete’s tenure in of-fice expires later this year, and that the new law would be in-line with the OGP requirements.

This is the second time for the President to assure the World thatTanzania would have decent media laws before he retires frompolitics.

In 2013 when addressing a similar OGP Forum the president an-

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nounced his government’s resolve and the need to have accessto information law before his term in office expires.

President Kikwete’s term in office will expire late this year andbasing on that fact, media stakeholders, who for several yearshave been relentlessly campaigning for the enactment of thelaws that would ease people’s access to information, are opti-mistic that this time around the laws would be enacted.

The Constituent Assembly concluded its assignment in October2014 after it endorsed the proposed draft constitution. For themedia stakeholders this was yet another real milestone in thedevelopment towards legislating progressive media laws.

The second draft of the constitution as presented to Parliamentby the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) in early 2014contained almost all the provisions on the media as proposedby the media stakeholders and the Media Constitutional Coun-cil (MCC).

The provisions on the media in the second draft of the Consti-tution that was presented to the Constituent Assembly were en-shrined in articles 30 and 31and they provided inter alia as thus:

The government, its institutions, private institutions and indi-viduals shall be compelled to provide information on their ac-tivities

The media shall be responsible to disseminate news and infor-mation to the public and at the same time shall have the duty torespect and protect human dignity, individual freedom and pri-vacy.

Individual rights and freedom to seek, access, process and dis-seminate information and report shall be guaranteed in the Con-stitution

The Constitution shall guarantee people’s rights to establishmedia outlets and other means of disseminating information re-

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gardless of national boundaries.

In fact these were the proposals advanced by media stakehold-ers, both as individuals and as a council. The CRC having ac-commodated the media stakeholders’ proposals wholesomely,the question remained as to what extent the Constituent As-sembly would go to take the proposals on board.

It is this fear that prompted the Coalition for Rights to Informa-tion, under the Media Council of Tanzania to lobby members ofthe Constituent Assembly to ensure that the provisions on themedia as enshrined in the second draft are accommodated in theproposed draft constitution.

MCT top officials too engaged members of the Constituent As-sembly in Dodoma in discussions to harmonize issues relatedto articles 30 and 31 of the proposed new constitution.

The MCT team led by the Council’s Executive Secretary, KajubiMukajanga, who also served as a CA member, engaged with theCA members during a working lunch at Bunge Building inDodoma where the CA was holding its marathon meeting onthe proposed constitution.

During the interaction the briefed the CA Members on the pro-posals put forward by media stakeholders for the first and sec-ond draft of the constitution. They also shared views on thepreference of the media stakeholders and how to improve theproposals.

The lobbying, the engagement of some CA members and the factthat one of the CA members, is a member of the Coalition and anardent defender of the right to information, made it possible forthe provisions to sail through.

After a heated debate the CA members endorsed the proposedConstitution and as it was the case with the CRC, it accommo-dated the provisions on the media wholesomely, albeit withslight changes.

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The Articles, now Article 38 and 39 in the proposed Constitu-tion instead of the previous Articles 30 and 31 in the second draftConstitution provide inter alia as thus:

The government and its institutions shall be compelled to pro-vide information on their activities

While the second draft Constitution sought to compel even pri-vate institutions and individuals to provide information on theiractivities, the proposed draft Constitution places that responsi-bility to the government and its institutions.

The media shall be responsible to disseminate news and infor-mation to the public and at the same time shall have the duty torespect and protect human dignity, individual freedom and pri-vacy.

On the issue of dissemination of information, the proposed draftConstitution commits media practitioners to abide by profes-sional media ethics when executing their duties. This was lack-ing in the second draft Constitution.

Individual rights and freedom to seek, access, process and dis-seminate information and report shall be guaranteed in the Con-stitution

This was adopted wholesomely by the CA

The Constitution shall guarantee people’s rights to establishmedia outlets and other means of disseminating information re-gardless of national boundaries.

This too was adopted by the CA wholesomely.

A slight change was made on Article 39 (4) of the proposed[draft Constitution as opposed to Article 31(4) of the second draftconstitution.

While Article 31(4) of the draft constitution sought to empower

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the Parliament to enact legislation that can protect the mediarights and press freedom, Article 39 (4) of the proposed draftconstitution seeks to empower the Parliament to enact laws thatcan regulate and protect the media rights and press freedom

These slight changes in the second draft constitution notwith-standing, it suffices to say that the proposed draft constitutionhas accommodated all necessary provisions that can guaranteeright to information and press freedom as advocated by mediastakeholders.

What messages these two scenarios send?

Media stakeholders had for eight years relentlessly lobbied forthe enactment of media laws that would ease people’s access to,and dissemination of information.

The struggle started in 2006 after the government introduced aFreedom of Information Bill, chiefly in an attempt to make whatit viewed as better media laws than those in use now.

Media stakeholders however, rejected the Bill, describing it ashopelessly deficient and therefore not promising the nation andthe media fraternity in particular a better deal.

In that Bill what the government in fact did was to copy andpaste some provisions from the very oppressive laws now inplace into one huge piece of oppressive media legislation.

Having rejected the bill, media stakeholders in 2007 formed acoalition under MCT to crusade for the right to information, andthey prepared two alternative bills—The Right to InformationBill, 2007 and the Media Services Bill, 2008, with a view of broad-ening the scope of freedom of information in Tanzania.

The two alternative bills were presented to the government in2007 and 2008 respectively, with the coalition convinced that themove would initiate dialogue between the two parties and even-

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tually see consensus on the exact wording of the draft.

But to date neither has such dialogue taken place nor have thefriendlier media laws been enacted, although the governmenthas ever since been promising to table to Parliament decentmedia laws.

The commitment given by the head of the state regarding theprogressive media laws and the endorsement of the proposeddraft constitution which enshrines provisions on the right to in-formation and press freedom give hope that this time aroundthings are real.

The question now is to how much the new law would incorpo-rate stakeholders’ proposals contained in the alternative bills.

In 2013 the Parliament rejected amendment in the NewspaperAct, 1976 after the government tabled a bill to that effect.

The Parliament instead directed the Ministry of Information togo back to the drawing table and draft comprehensive medialaws for debate rather than seeking to amend the NewspaperAct, 1976 which has become outdated.

Surprisingly though since then when the government rejectedthe amendment bill and ordered the ministry to bring bill fornew laws, not a single bill to that effect has been tabled to date.

According to the ministry the preparations for the bills are oncourse and not long the bills would be tabled in parliament fordeliberation. However, it is not clear yet as to what extent willthe bills incorporate stakeholders’ proposals.

The draft Constitution will still go another test before it be-comes—a legal binding document—the referendum which willtake place later this year.

If it passes the test and voted YES by wananchi, then chancesare that the dream of the media stakeholders to see progressive

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media laws in place would be realized for mainly two reasons.

It commits the Parliament to enact legislation to protect mediarights and press freedom, and also information or reports on na-tional security, peace, public values and ethics, rights, privacyand individual freedoms.

With such a constitution in place, which is the mother of all lawsof the land, no more oppressive laws would see the light of theday.

World Radio DayMedia stakeholders in Tanzania joined the rest of the world onFebruary 13 to celebrate World Radio Day which is markedacross the globe to reflect on how public service broadcastingcan support human development.

The event which was hosted by UNESCO Tanzania was held inDodoma, the capital city, bringing together more than 150 mediastakeholders across the country.

This was the third time for Tanzania to mark the Day, which thistime was celebrated under the theme: “The Role of Radio in Pro-moting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.”

The event culminated in a week long training supported by UN-ESCO which was also conducted in Dodoma to develop the ca-pacity of 40 community radio practitioners from nine localradios.

Presentations during the celebrations to mark the day focusedon gender inequality in the radio programmes as well as in thetop managements of most radio stations.

Stakeholders were of the view that much as radio is an impor-tant tool in bringing about development in the country, womenand girls are not given enough voices in radio programmes.

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They noted that the number of women in the top managementor in the editorial boards of most radio stations is still low, call-ing on the trend to change in order to give women more oppor-tunity in the top posts.

The stakeholders called on radio stations to promote genderequality in their programmes so that more women enjoy the op-portunity to use this important medium for individual womendevelopment and that of the society.

UNESCO has undertaken to train more than 250 journalistsworking in community radio stations in the country on how toprepare gender programmes, the idea being to ensure that novoice is left out because of sex or any other reasons.

The United Nations General Assembly on December 8, 2012 en-dorsed the 2011 resolution adopted by UNESCO General Con-ference, Proclaiming February 13 as World Rdaio Day, the Daythe United States was established in 1946.

World Press Freedom Day

Arusha was a hive of activities on May 3 as media stakeholdersgathered in the tourist city to celebrate the World Press FreedomDay

The Day offers opportunity, among others, to celebrate funda-mental principles of press freedom, defend the media from at-tacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalistswho have lost their lives in the line of duty.

A number of presentations were made to observe the Day, withthe focus directed to safety of journalists, repeal of oppressivemedia laws and the need for the journalists to work as team toovercome threats to the profession.

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Most speakers called on the media stakeholders to remain firmand fight for the repeal of all oppressive media laws that im-pinge freedom of the press.

Media stakeholders were critical by the dilly dallying approachemployed by the government in tabling to parliament bills forthe decent media laws, saying it has taken almost nine yearssince the process to legislate the laws started.

The participants condemned the trend whereby some mediapractitioners are bought by some politicians to advance theirpersonal and political interests, saying such journalists or editorsshould be identified and put to shame.

The issue of safety of journalists was also discussed with par-ticipants calling on the authority or whoever is behind the at-tacks or killings of journalists to stop.

The participants observed that over 70 journalists in Sub Saha-ran Africa have lost their lives since 2013.

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN GeneralAssembly in December 1993, following the recommendation ofUNESCO's General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniver-sary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide asWorld Press Freedom Day.

World Right to Know DayThe International Right to Know Day in Tanzania was cele-brated by the launching of the 2014 Report on the Open and Se-cretive Institutions, whose content is a result a study done bythe Media Institute of Southern Africa-Tanzania Chapter (MISA-TAN)

The study which is conducted annually by the Media Instituteof Southern Africa (MISA) is aimed at evaluating the level of

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public access to information held by the government and it in-stitutions.

The study is done in 11 SADC countries, and in Tanzania it washeld between June 16 and July 07, involving the Ministry ofHealth and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Education and Voca-tional Training and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Re-sources.

Other government institutions involved in the study are: TheMinistry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, theJudiciary, the National Assembly, the National Identity Author-ity (NIDA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

NBS become the most open government institution after itscored 33 out of out of 40 points. It was therefore awarded theGolden Key for emerging the most open public institution.

The Golden Padlock went to the judiciary which emerged themost secretive government institution after it scored 14 pointsout of 40.

The judiciary emerged the most secretive public institution in2914y replying only 14 requests out of 40.

For over eight years media stakeholders have been pressing forenactment of decent media laws that would expand the scope offreedom of information and compel the government to releaseinformation about its activities.

The repressive and outdated laws on the media which are in usenow offer a better ground for the secrecy to reign.

Unless these bad laws are repealed and friendlier ones enactedthe public would continue to miss important information fromthe public institutions.

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Govt. withdraws Bill on statistics

The year in review saw the government withdrawing a bill onstatistics which had a negative impact on the media.

The Statistics Act, 2013 Bill was drawn from the National As-sembly in what the government said it wanted to review it witha view of making some changes to improve it before it is tabledagain.

However, bill met some opposition from the members of par-liament before it was withdrawn. The MPs especially attacked aprovision in the bill that empowered the National Bureau of Sta-tistics (NBS) to sanction the media when they publish or air sta-tistical information that is not from the bureau.

The bill empowered NBS take legal action against media outletswhich publish or air reports that would entice the public not topartake in any activity that involves the collection of official sta-tistics in the country.

This power extends any institution, organisation and individu-als that will do the same.

The bill if it would sail through and become law would alsohave put restrictions on the disclosure of official statistical in-formation as well as ensure security of recorded official statisti-cal information. Persons committing the offence are liable to 12months imprisonment or a 10m/- fine.

The MPs were of the view that despite its good content, it willrestrict the media from doing its duty.

The legislators said that much as they would like to ensure thatthe media does not publish or air false information, at times thegovernment may refuse to release true statistics and data.

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References:Rasimu ya Katiba Inayopendekezwa

Rasimu ya Katiba ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania

The Citizen, Dar es Salam, September 26, 2014

The Guardian, Dar es Salaam, May 4, 2014

www.misa.org

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–––––––––––––––––––

Chapter three

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Good and bad aspects abouttanzania’s ICt ecosystem

By Henry Muhanika

Since 2010, the government of Tanzania has been investing heavily inthe national fibre optic infrastructure, with the main objective of trans-forming the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sectorin the country, enhance connectivity within and link the country withother African countries and the rest of the World.

Installation of the National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) isbeing undertaken in five phases and the first two were already com-pleted by 2012 covering 7,560 kilometres. Currently the broadband in-frastructure network has been expanded to reach all districtheadquarters. The Ministry of Communication, Science and Technol-ogy is now busy working on establishing three major internet data cen-tres to be based in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Zanzibar.

Putting in place an internet protocol/multiprotocol Label SwitchingNetwork and connecting Zanzibar and Pemba Island to the NationalICT Broadband Backbone are other components of phase III of themajor project now lined up for immediate implementation.

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Good and bad aspects about Tanzania’s ICT ecosystem: Henry Muhanika


It is noted however, that even at the stage it has reached, the fiber opticcable has already helped to connect land locked countries in East Africasuch as Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. Such countries now receiveservice from the cable coming from South Africa to Tanzania.

According to the Minister of Communication, Science and Technol-ogy, completion of phase III of the project will bring a communicationrevolution in as far as availability of electronic communication servicesis concerned.

Internet and mobile phone servicesDue to improvement of ICT ecosystem in Tanzania, the communicationsector has undergone exponential growth as the number of SIM cardssold rode from 2.1 million in 2004 to 17.6 million in 2009 and reached28 million in 2014,implying that more than half of Tanzanians haveaccess to mobile phone services. When children are excluded, the pic-ture one gets is that probably ¾ of the adult citizens have joined themobile phone users’ club.

Mobile phones are used for all sorts of communication. However, theusage which has taken the banking sector by surprise is in relation tomoney transfer. It is on record that between July 2013 and April 2014about 972,641,605 transactions worth 28.3 trillion shillings were donethrough mobile phone. The major player is Vodacom Tanzania Ltdwhich was a pioneer in this line of business by launching M-Pesa about5 years ago.Tigopesa, AirtelMoney and EasyMoney, operated by Zan-tel are today also popular mobile money transfer services in Tanzania.These have so far deployed 153,369 agents who have registered 31.8million accounts.

Available data show that even the rate of internet use is on the increasein the country, given the fact that while the number of those using theservice was 3.56m by 2008, it shot up to 9.3m by the end of Decem-ber 2013 and is estimated to have crossed the 10 million mark at theend of 2014.

Installation of broadband backbone is credited for contributing signif-

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icantly to internet accessibility.

TCRA research findings show that following the successful completionof the first phases of the NICTBB project, the cost of making calls inTanzania has dropped by 57 percent while those of internet serviceshave also gone down by 75 percent.

Is this statistical relief in paying for the above mentioned services re-flected on the ground, in the sense that the end user really see the dif-ference between the past tariffs and current ones? According to MaryMsuya,Executive Secretary of TCRA Consumers Consultative Coun-cil, users of communication facilities are currently complaining aboutquality of service rather than charges.

They seem to be unhappy about getting unsolicited messages from mo-bile facility operators, sometimes in form of advertisements and in thepast concern was about the slowness of the internet network - how-ever, there is some improvement in this area, thanks to the broadbandbackbone factor.

Cutthroat competition among mobile companies has contributed to thelowering of calls and internet charges. Companies are offering serv-ices in packages or bundles which include a given number of text mes-sages one can send as well as specific internet and voice time, workedout in such a way that a smart customer can enjoy maximum commu-nication at relatively lower costs.

As competitors try to beat each other through this marketing strategy,the consumer is put at advantage.

Mobile number portabilityWhile opening the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) ICT dayconference organized by TCRA on the 4th December 2014,the Minis-ter for Communication, Science and Technology,Prof.MakameMbarawa,pointed out that the telecommunications sector is alreadyahead of the broadcasting one in utilizing the fiber optic cable.

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Another area where the telephone sector is likely to make use of thisinfrastructure is in the Mobile Number Portability (MNP),currentlybeing implemented by TCRA.

Telecommunications expert define number portability as the “abilityto change a service provider service or location without changing one’stelephone number.

One’s telephone number or numbers tend to play a key role in con-tacts in the sense that they are used by friends, business associates,banks family members etc when there is a need to communicate withhim or her. Changing one’s telephone number from time to time cancause inconvenience to one’s contacts and it is for this reason that peo-ple do not change their names unless there are reasons to do so.

According to Eng. James Kilaba of TCRA, implementation of numberportability has several requirements to be considered, which includelegal framework, porting administration (central or non-central-ized),call routing model, and management requirements like portingprocess administration.

The engineer further explains that the number portability requires acentral reference database or network of connected databases whichstores the ported number with a function similar to Home and VisitorLocation Registers (HLR/ULR) in mobile network..

Implementation approachTCRA which believes in regulation through consultation embarked onthe Mobile Number Portability project by having a series of consulta-tive meetings with various stakeholders, mainly mobile companies fornearly two years - that is 2009 and 2010. The idea was to exchangeideas on what approach to use and conditions to be fulfilled before thelaunch.

In 2011 the Electronic and Postal Communication (Mobile NumberPortability) Regulations on number porting approach and conditionsto be fulfilled were published under section 9 (1) of the Mobile Num-

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ber Portability Regulations 2011.Licensees operating in Tanzania wererequired to make some technical changes to their networks not laterthan 31st December 2012 in order to facilitate implementation of num-ber portability.

As part of the preparations of the MNP project,TCRA hosted the 5th

International Mobile Number Portability Summit in Tanzania in No-vember 2012.The summit attracted participants, mainly experts andkey stakeholders from Uganda,Rwanda,Burundi,Democratic Repub-lic of Congo and Tanzania.

Several issues were discussed at this strategic meeting but key oneswere on how to align Mobile Number Portability Implementation withSIM Card registration programme and getting the most from MobileNumber Portability in multi-SIM Card and multi-handset market.

Consultancy servicesIn 2012, TCRA floated an international competitive tender on requestfor expression of interest for consultancy service to provide expertiseon matters related to the implementation of MNP in Tanzania. The ten-der attracted 5 international bidders and after the evaluation processthe winner was M/S Interconnect Communications (ICC) of UK.

Consequently TCRA officially engaged Interconnect Communicationsto offer consultancy service on Tanzania’s Mobile Number PortabilityProject. On March 2014, TCRA formed a steering Committee com-prising Officers of major mobile operating companies and chaired bythe Director General of the Authority. Key terms of reference of thetemporary committee include to facilitate the MNP implementation upto its launch in the country by identifying and resolving commercial aswell as technical issues related to this exercise. The committee is alsomandated to nominate officials to work jointly with TCRA and projectconsultants through sub committees.

By December 2014 the Administrator to be in-charge of porting man-agement through the MNP Clearing House had been identified andconstruction of the facility was expected to begin in early 2015, thus

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heralding the take off of the anxiously awaited service.

Benefits and challengesGenerally MNP is credited for having several advantages but the majorone include

-Removing the inconvenience of having multiple service providers andhandsets on the side of customers

-It is believed to have the potential to increase competition among mo-bile services providers who have to strive to retain customers throughquality services and competitive tariffs.

-It may also help new entrants in the telecom business to get a goodshare of subscribers. On the whole it is regarded as a catalyst for com-petition in the now liberalized Tanzanian telecommunication sector.

MNP however, is not without challenges to grapple with. In an articlewhich appeared in the authoritative regional newspaper the Eastafrican(November 22-28,2014), under the alarming title of is the mobile num-ber portability idea dead on arrival?, Business reporter EdwardSsekalo referred to the Kenyan experience to argue that too much ex-pectations about the usefulness of the MNP service may be farfetched.The author notes that while Kenya launched the service in 2011 thereis no evidence today that it has improved the telecommunication busi-ness significantly.

According to Ssekalo, the service has got some costs which have to beincurred by either the MNP telecom operator or subscriber, or be sharedby both. Since both telecom companies and subscribers are sensitiveabout any extra costs, this option can only gain popularity if the costsare too minimal to affect both parties. “Multi-siming”,that is a prac-tice where a subscriber owns a SIM Card from every network in a sit-uation where dual, triple and even quad-SIM phones are available foras little as $30 per handset in East Africa poses a threat to the MNPidea.

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The most significant hurdle to the MNP operations is how to cope withmoney services. Industry experts say it is not easy to “port” mobilemoney services to another network. The spread of the lucrative M-Pesaservice in Kenya is cited as one of the reasons why the MNP project isnot working smoothly in that country.

In any case, other East African countries working jointly under the um-brella of the East African Communications Organization (EACO) aredetermined to go ahead with their MNP projects on the grounds that theadvantages outweigh the disadvantages. They believe that the Kenyanexperience can be used to give some lessons which can facilitate ad-justments in the MNP projects management.

Video Conference projectA recent brochure issued by the Ministry of Communication, Scienceand Technology describes the video conference project which wascompleted in the third quarter of 2014 as “ a sub- component of theNational ICT Broadband Backbone project”

The brochure further reveal: “The government of the United Republicof Tanzania has invested in building the National ICT Broadband Back-bone that is already providing connectivity to most parts of the coun-try and literally focusing on regional and district quarters asconnectivity reference points. Availability of this infrastructure bringsan avenue to do so more with ICT.

Among the initiatives of the government to utilize the available band-width is the use of the video conference system as a tool for carryingout meetings within government, with private and Non-GovernmentalOrganizations across the borders. This is what is referred to as the“Video Conference Project”.

The video conference project has been implemented in two phases,where the first phase involved installing the facility (Video Confer-encing System) to all regional headquarters of Tanzania mainland andsome few selected key government institutions.

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The first 25 offices brought on board during the first phase included thePrime Minister’s Office (PMO), PMO Regional Administration andLocal Government (PMO-RALG),President’s Office (Public ServiceManagement) and 21 regional offices of Tanzania Mainland.

The second phase was completed during the last quarter of 2014 andcovered Zanzibar - that is State House and 4 Regional Headquarters.Training has been given to key staff managing the sites to ensure thebest use of the facility.

On the whole, the conferencing system is aimed at achieving a num-ber of goals which include improving the effectiveness of meetings,cutting operational costs such as travel, improving institutional andemployees productivity, as well as reducing the time taken to make im-portant decisions, as bringing together important stakeholders in agiven sector or institution facilitate quick communication.

Regional Communication InfrastructureApart from the video conferencing project, the Ministry has also beenbusy working on the Regional Communication Infrastructure Pro-gramme (RCIP),which is World Bank supported and aim to provide anICT network to link government institutions, hospitals, schools as wellas other institutions of Higher Learning and ensure they get efficientand low cost internet services. An internet bandwidth with a capacityof 1.55 Gbps has been purchased and installed. As by May 2014 a totalnumber of 42 institutions had been linked to this network, and 25 moreothers are in the process of being accommodated.

On the whole, the country is on the way to popularizing e-government,e-commerce, e-education, e-medicine and even e-justice, thanks to theBroadband Backbone Infrastructure, which is making all sorts of ICTservices possible.

E-School pilot projectEffort to promote e-education, as mentioned above, is demonstrated inone of the Ministry’s e-school pilot project meant to link schools

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through an ICT special network. So far 43 schools are part of this proj-ect.

The Minister for Communication, Science and Technology,Prof.Makame Mbarawa informed the 2014/2015 budget Parliamentsession that the process of getting a contractor to link 80 other schoolsto the network was in final stages. Experience gained through this pilotproject will be useful in rolling the e-schools project countrywide.

Higher Learning InstitutionsOn November 8,2014 a half a page advertisement appeared in the gov-ernment newspaper, the Daily News and partly read as follows:

-The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has receivedcredit from International Development Association (IDA) towards thecosts of Science and Technology Higher Education Project (STHEP)and intends to apply part of the proceeds of this credit to paymentsunder contract of supply, installation and commissioning of optic fibrecable and related civil works for Higher Learning and Research Insti-tutions (HERIS) in Tanzania.

-The Ministry of Communication, Science andTechnology (MCST) now invites sealed bids fromeligible bidders for supply, installation and com-missioning of optic fiber cable and related civilworks for Higher Learning and Research Insti-tutions in Tanzania for the following HERIS:Mo-rogoro Region (Sokoine University-SUA mainand Mazimbu campuses) and Mzumbe Universi-ties;Iringa Region (Mkwawa University Collegeof Education and Ruaha University College);Kil-imanjaro Region (Kilimanjaro Christian MedicalCentre University,Moshi University College ofCooperative and Business Studies, and StephanoMoshi Memorial University College-MwikaCampus and Zanzibar (Zanzibar State Univer-sity).

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-Bidding will be conducted using the Interna-tional Competitive Bidding (ICB)proceduresspecified in the World Bank’s guidelines pro-curement under IBRD Loans and IDP credits,edition of May 2004 revised in October 2006,andis open to bidders eligible as defined in theseGuidelines…

The Higher Education and Research Institutions Network (HERIN),which has started with a few institutions named above, aims at linkingthem through the internet and facilitate exchange of more informationat a faster rate. It is meant to give students and lectures a competitiveadvantage in the academic World which is today driven by ICT.

The first phase of HERIN aims at connecting 28 institutions to the Na-tional ICT Broadband Backbone and has cost about Tsh 4.6bn.Otherexisting institutions not covered in phase one as well as new ones to beestablished with time will be covered in the next phase.

Analogue-digital broadcasting migrationTo what extent has the NICTBB helped in the implementation of mi-gration from analogue to digital broadcasting in Tanzania? A briefrecap of the migration process is necessary in order to put this questioninto a proper context.

The Tanzania government embarked on the preparations for migrationfrom terrestrial analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting immediatelyafter the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) launched theinitiative ten years ago, and even set a deadline for change to be ac-complished globally. A National Technical Committee on the prepara-tions of implementing the migration project was formed in 2007,whilean Inter-Ministerial National Steering Committee to oversee migrationand advise the government on matters related to this area followed in2008.

A migration legal framework was put in place during the 2010-2011 pe-riod by enacting the Electronic and Postal Communications Act,2010

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which, among other things, provides for migration from analogue todigital broadcasting. Regulations to facilitate implementation of theabove law were formulated and endorsed in 2011.

Came December 31,2012 and Tanzania became the first country inSub-Saharan Africa to switch off its analogue television signal equip-ment in the major commercial city of Dar es Salaam, thus marking thefirst phase of the project meant to cover other big towns ofDodoma,Tanga,Mwanza,Arusha,Moshi and Mbeya.

The time-frame for this phase was 4 months - hence it was expected tocome to the end on April 30th, 2013.

ImplementationChallenges emerged immediately after the Dar es Salaam switch off,which with much fanfare and publicity, as Broadcasters under theMedia Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT) umbrella were skep-tical of what they described as a “rush” move. They argued that thebest approach would have been to allow both systems to co-exist andswitch off the analogue system as the October 2015 deadline set byITU came closer.

The government and its key agency, that is the Tanzania Communica-tions Regulatory Authority (TCRA) were opposed to this idea, and thetug-of-war which ensued provided the media with sensational news fora few months.

Other implementation complications like shortage and high price ofset-top boxes or “decoders” complicated matters at the take off stage.The roleout however, continued with the government promising to con-duct a survey in April 2014 to assess the situation and rectify bottle-necks identified in the course of the assessment exercise.

The analogue-digital broadcasting migration assessment was con-ducted as promised and some of the challenges identified helped muchin the implementation of the find migration phase.

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It may be noted here that the rollout of the National ICT BroadbandBackbone has had an impact in the migration project .Problems ofblack spots attributed to un-even geographical terrain were, in a waysolved, thanks to the spread of the broadband backbone infrastructure.Visibility of TV signals has also improved significantly as broadbandfacilities are technically devised to provide such state- of- the- art com-munication services.

More frequencies are now available for content service providers tothe extent that there is a feeling that these “assets “are underutilized.This was revealed even at the international conference held in Dar esSalaam during the 1st week of December 2014 which brainstormed onthe theme of Digital Terrestrial Television, A new roadmap for Africa,organized jointly by the African Telecommunication Union (ATU) andTCRA.

In a keynote speech Tanzania’s Communication, Science and Tech-nology Minister ,Prof.Makame Mbarawa, categorically noted thatwhile migration from analogue to digital broadcasting is moving onwell, yet so far the broadcasting sector, unlike the telecommunicationsone, has not been able to make use of the cyber optic cable as required.

During the meeting, the Director General of TCRA,Prof.John Nkomasaid that by the end of December 2014 Tanzania was expected to haveswitched off 95 percent of its analogue transmitters countrywide.

It was also revealed that 20 towns were already digitalized by Decem-ber 2014, while the remaining 5 were expected to be digitalized by theend of March 2015, thus completing the migration process before theITU designated deadline.

On the whole, the story of migration from analogue to digital broad-casting in Tanzania has all the signs of being a successful one, much asthere are still some challenges to contend with. It is no wonder that in2014 delegations from African countries visited Tanzania to learn afew things from its experience.

These came from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Lesotho, Malawi. Zambia

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and Botswana. By the end of December 2014 even Nigeria and SouthAfrican government agencies were arranging to make study visits toTanzania.

Media convergenceOne of the impacts of the NICTBB rollout is that it has significantlypromoted media convergence, which is making a mark on the country’smedia landscape - in the process affecting people as well as mediaoutlets. The industry is witnessing a steady trend towards the conflu-ence of different media through the use of technology, which is actingas super catalyst in the convergence race. The convergence of media al-lows, for example, music to be enjoyed using different media like themobile phone and internet. As a result, several media channels are com-ing together to try and co-exist mutually.

Mobile phone convergence The most interesting form of the global convergence culture is referredto as “cell phone convergence “. The World has reached a stage wheredue to technological advancement, cell phones are no longer playingone or two roles only, but have turned into multipurpose gadgets. Smartcell phones today have internet connections Mp3 video players andCamera – research for more innovations to give those devices newfunctions continue night and day. Latest models are even capable oflocating geographical positions for a traveler.

The point being underscored here is that while a few years ago use ofthese technologies was mainly in the developed World, today residentsof third World countries, Tanzanians inclusive, are also increasinglyenjoying the fruits of cell phone convergence.

A few years back, smart cell phones in Tanzania were very expensive,with a price tag of Tsh. 800,000 and even above, depending on thequality and other functions - and were few in the local market. How-ever, global competition among manufacturers has demystified them- thanks to the business shrewdness of mainly Far East Asia Countries’entrepreneurs who have come up with affordable brands and captured

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the local market.

In fact even ordinary cell phones have been improved to facilitate rea-sonable convergence. It is now common to see ordinary people takingphotographs when incidents like accidents or street chaos take place.Some of the shots taken under those circumstances end up appearingin blogs or in newspapers - this is how cell phone convergence hasturned ordinary citizens into photojournalists of some sort.

Scenarios where bus commuters can be seen loudly listening to radionews or quietly doing so by using ear-phones are also nowadays com-mon, contrary to what used to be the case in the past, thanks to mediaconvergence. As for the youth, enjoying music through their cellphones as they move around has turned into a popular hobby.

All sorts of information packages are today reaching the audiencethrough mobile phones. Here we are referring to news as well as ed-ucative information on areas like medicine, politics, culture, econom-ics and other subjects. When it comes to news dissemination, one istempted to conclude that cell phones are not only effectively compet-ing with traditional media platforms, but tend to outperform the latterin terms of being more current.

Online newspaper editions Newspaper organizations Worldwide have realized the power of theinternet and positioned themselves to make use of it by establishingonline editions of their printed versions. Again the practice started intechnologically advanced countries, but third World countries like Tan-zania are also trying to catch up.

Major newspapers like Daily News, The Citizens, The Guardian, Ni-pashe, Majira, Mtanzania, Raia Mwema and even the entertainmenttabloids published by Global Publishers have online editions. This en-ables these newspapers to be accessible to international readers - ademonstration of how both traditional and new media can benefit fromconvergence.

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Newspapers are moving to this direction to ensure they also get a shareof online advertising revenue –much as online advertising is at infancystage in Tanzania. It is however, increasing significantly as majortelecommunication companies and banks are already exploiting thisnew advertising avenue.

Online or electronic newspapers per se, that is those solely publishedon the internet are still few, partly because internet use is still limitedand only popular in urban centres. It seems newspaper entrepreneursare also not sure whether online newspapers can be profitable at thisstage.

It is worth noting here that the banned but popular MwanaHalisi news-paper officially went online in December 2014. It did so in style at afunction attended by key players in the media industry. This well pub-licized development has awakened journalists on the existence of thisopportunity at time when internet penetration in society is encouraging- thanks to the ICT Broadband Backbone infrastructural expansion. Itis no wonder that sooner than later we may witness a significant in-crease in the number of online newspapers in the country.

Blogs and traditional mediaFor the last 5 years there has been what some media watchers describeas a “blogs boom” in Tanzania. These are in the categories of currentaffairs, political, entertainment, sports and specialized subjects - that isas classified by ZoomTanzania blog, whose operators attempted tomake a study on the nature and content of Tanzanian blogs some twoyears ago.

It is the news and current affairs blogs which are very relevant to themedia convergence theme under discussion. Journalist MuhidinMichuzi was a pioneer in this area by launching a news blog under hisname. His success in three years inspired other photojournalists andreporters to board the blogs train. This led to the birth of Full Shangwe,Father Kidevu, Kamanda wa Matukio, Mtaa kwa mtaa, the Habari,Dewji Kajuna and several other current affairs blogs - mainly pub-lished by photojournalists and reporters.

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The impact of these blogs has not only been creating a situation wheretraditional media outlets no longer have a monopoly of current news,but has led to a new practice where the latter depend on blogs for lat-est news tips and photographs - this is the best example of mutualmedia

convergence in practice. Blogs also get popularized - especially wheretheir news items are credited by users.

Mobile-to –Radio ConvergenceMobile phone –to-radio convergence Is getting popular in Tanzaniathrough special programs where radios for example, depend on call –in phone participation from active listeners using their mobile phones.Radio One has a news alert program conducted under this arrangementwhere a special line is specifically reserved for callers to give infor-mation or views by mobile phones.

Clouds FM has a real time news on traffic jams which began in Dar esSalaam and is widening coverage. It is now one of the popular pro-grams

Initially there were fears among some media players that this kind ofconvergence would probably be a threat to traditional media, but thefact that some radio and television stations are opting to work togetherwith mobile companies on special programs provide evidence that tra-ditional media platforms find opportunities in the new technologicalmedia developments. In other words there signs of mutual coexistencethe old and new media.

As noted while commenting on various types of media convergenceoutlined in this write up, the general conclusion is that the unfoldingphenomenon is a boon and not a bone to mass communication servicesin society. Tanzanians in both urban and rural are enjoying the fruits ofmedia development and convergence in away that not anticipated afew years back.

Mass campaigns in political and other areas can today be conducted

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more efficiently and effective through the multi-media approach in-volving traditional and new media outlets. The frontiers of knowledgeand freedom of expression have expanded, thanks to media develop-ment and convergence. Communication analysts rightly observe that asfar as accessibility to information is concerned, the proverbial sky isthe limit.

Media ethics complications The rosy picture painted above has another side of the proverbial coin.Ethical problems related to misinformation have been observed as thenew media gain prominence in society. During 2014, social media wasat times entangled in a web of unethical secrecy and misinformation.

For instance in September 2014, rumors circulated in several socialmedia platforms claiming that the government, through its two agen-cies, that is the Tanzania Education Authority (TEA)and Tanzania Pe-troleum Development Authority (TPDC) in collaboration with oil andgas companies intended to employ 500 youth in oil and gas industriesin January 2015. It was further claimed that the government was plan-ning to have a special program for Form 4 and 6 finalists in prepara-tion for employment in the sector.

The government was upset by the misinformation messages and, onSeptember 25,2014 issued a strongly worded newspaper denial ad-vertisement through TPDC.

On September 10,2014 a message circulated through WhatsApp plat-form alleging that a passenger bus christened Air Bus had crashedalong Morogoro-Dodoma highway and claimed lives of 48 passengers!The traditional media made a follow-up on the tip, only to establishthat although the accident occurred, 5 passenger and not 48 had died!The exaggerated news caused public panic as it circulated when an-other fatal bus accident had just taken place in Butiama District, claim-ing 35 lives and leaving behind 50 serious injuries.

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Political messages Political news attract much attention in Tanzania, and it is no wonderthat most Kiswahili tabloids are awash with sensational political re-ports on daily basis. The social media is not left behind when it comesto the penchant for political news. It is against this backdrop that newson writing a new constitution in Tanzania appeared prominently in thesocial media in 2014, after the Constitutional Review Commission hadissued it second draft - which was later discussed by the controversialConstituency Assembly.

As the 2015 General Elections get closer, political stories and relatedinformation get more prominence online but reportage is, at times,characterized by messages calculated to misinform, mudsling individ-uals , rumour mongering and sowing seeds of hatred in society. Rivalpoliticians and political parties tend to have a hand in these malprac-tices.

TCRA intervention TCRA’s main approach in addressing internet related ethical issues hasalways been to educate key players in this area, that is blog owners,regulators of big social media and users of these communication av-enues, as the latter today also play a role of online communicators.

For example, the Authority now has schedule of organizing an annualtraining workshop for bloggers as well visiting schools to enlightenstudents on the best use of internet facilities.

In November 2014, TCRA also organized a training workshop for blog-gers and moderators in Dar es Salaam which addressed, among otherthings, issues related to blog content copyright and proper use of elec-tronic communication facilities. About 150 participants were alsobriefed on how to disseminate elections related information throughsocial media and broadcasting platforms. More training sessions areexpected in 2015 to ensure the October elections are well covered bythe electronic media.

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It has also been disclosed by TCRA sources that arrangements arebeing made to upgrade the electronic media monitoring equipment inuse, to ensure it is capable of monitoring programs of all licensed radioand TV stations countrywide before the 2015 elections season set in.

Regulations During the 4th quarter of 2014 TCRA completed the long-awaited on-line Code of Conduct regulations. The Code is with the Minister forCommunication, Science and Technology, who is expected to approveit soon. They are banked on to provide guidance to bloggers and otheronline communicators, especially during the polls on the new consti-tution as well as the much anticipated general elections.

Broadcasters on trialThere are always complaints from members of the public that tradi-tional electronic media outlets, that is radio and television, are shorton observing professional ethics. They are generally accused of broad-casting content which is insensitive to society traditional values andtaste. Issues raised here are in connection with content, especially useof photographs and advertisements which debase women and children,as well as sometimes engaging in propagating hate speech as well asuse of unacceptable language.

You have critics who accuse our traditional electronic media of blindlyaping western ways of running radio and television stations, thus con-sciously or unknowingly doing harm to African values.

TCRA, through its Content Committee, is always busy monitoring per-formance in the broadcasting sector. The Committee does not hesitateto flex its muscle, on getting evidence that broadcasting norms and reg-ulations are being violated - especially where members of the publicraise complaints.

It is through vigilance that the Content Committee put some broad-casters on “trial” in 2014, fined some of them and gave warnings tolucky ones. It must be noted that monitoring performance of the elec-

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tronic media is a challenge for while there was no TV station in thecountry at independence, in 1961, the number today is 28. There wasone radio station then, but currently the number is about 85. There isroom for more expansion, thanks to the improved ICT BroadbandBackbone infrastructure.

In March 2014, TCRA strongly warned Tanzania’s Independent Tele-vision (ITV), Star TV and Radio Free Africa (RFA)for airing contentallegedly likely to incite public hatred against government, and dis-courage citizens to pay taxes. Elaborating on the case at a press con-ference, TCRA Content Committee Chairperson Margaret Munyagisaid the stations had, at different times, aired an advertisement spon-sored by a Non Government Organization by the name of PolicyForum, which allegedly incited members of the public to refrain frompaying taxes.

She noted as well that the adverts were broadcast during prime time,that is in the middle of the news bulletins, contrary to regulations 5 (a)and 6 (b) of the Broadcasting Regulations.

During the hearing of the above mentioned case, the Managing Direc-tor of ITV and Radio One, Ms Joyce Mhaville, argued that the PolicyForum advertisement was part of public education on tax exemptionand good governance and pleaded that it was aired in good faith. TheContent Committee was not ready to entertain the excuse. It warnedand directed ITV and other broadcasting stations to submit their man-uals to the Committee ,which are supposed to provide guidance to pre-senters and restrict them from airing unapproved content.

In August 2014 the popular Clouds FM faced bitter music when it wasalso accused of violating broadcasting regulations. The station had car-ried two controversial programs in May and June 2014, which spurredcomplaints from certain quarters of the public and were later on con-firmed to have violated broadcasting regulations.

The” Bibi Bomba” program involved interviewing elderly women par-ticipants in the competition to pick the most ‘charming’ grandmotherin the country, apparently modeled on the Miss Tanzania idea - where

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the winner was expected to get a cool Tsh 10m prize.

After going through the recorded program, the Content Committeemembers noted that some of the questions posed to participants in thecompetition were indecent in taste and debased women. Other factorslike airing the program between 9:00-10 pm, thus exposing it to chil-dren were taken into account as well.

As for “Njia panda” program, also aired in June 2014, the ContentCommittee was of the opinion that ideas in the theme of “the journeyto the land of the dead” promoted witchcraft and related outdated con-cepts. A Tsh 5 m fine was imposed on the station which was also re-quired to pay another Tsh 1m fine for failure to provide to TCRA itsguidance on monitoring programs being aired to the public.

On the whole, TCRA Content Committee kept a keener eye on thebroadcasting media in 2014 than was the case in previous years.

Faceless CriminalsThe year 2014 recorded growing threats of faceless criminals hidingbehind computer screens and causing more damage than the physicalgun-totting bandits. Up to September 2014, Tsh 10 billion had beenlost through cyber fraud, involving mostly card skinning and ATMpumping electronic thefts as 300 cyber crime cases are under investi-gation in the country.

Indeed, security institutions are not taking these crimes lightly and in2014 some cyber crooks whose, 40 days of the proverbial thief weredue, found themselves in court corridors. The so-called businessmanNelson Onyango (43) appeared before the Dar es Salaam based KisutuResident Magistrate’s Court in March 2014, to face several charges in-cluding use of communication network to cause a loss of over Tsh 6 bil-lion to the government in revenue earnings.

Reading the charges, Principal State Attorney Tumaini Kweka allegedthat the accused committed the offence contrary to section 122(a) and(b) of the Electronic and Postal Communication Act of 2010 and its

49



regulations

In another attention attracting case, two Romanian nationals believedto be international calls fraud “experts” also appeared at Kisutu Resi-dent Magistrate’s Court on 22nd May 2014, to answer network relatedfraud charges. Razuan Pintilie (47) and Robert Kraus (27) were facedwith several charges, including fraudulent use of communication net-work, operating electronic communications without a license and im-portation of electronic communications equipments without a license,thus causing a loss of about Tsh 2.1 billion to the government and thecountry’s communication sector.

Yet in another incident, three Kenyans and an Indian national appearedat the same Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court on 29th May 2014,charged with fraudulent use of telecommunication equipment to causea loss of about Tsh 173 m to the government and TCRA.

Ruling on these and other cases is yet to be given but the message thatcyber crime in Tanzania is under close watch has been sent to bothlocal and international potential cyber criminals.

Telecommunication Traffic Monitoring It is worth noting here that the suspects in the above mentioned caseswere brought to court without necessarily going through a lengthy in-vestigation process, thanks to TCRA’s move to install a Telecommu-nications Traffic Monitoring System (TTMS), billed to be not only arevolution of some sort, but also as one of the biggest achievementsin the country’s communications sector in recent years. The TTMSproject employs state-of-the-art technology to detect and track illegalcommunication operators who financially cripple the government aswell as legal operators in the industry.

President Jakaya Kikwete officially launched the TTMS facility on 27th

February 2014 and commended TCRA for what he described as “aPromising step in nation building”. The facility based at TCRA hadquarters enables the Treasury to earn Tsh 1.6 bn Monthly or about Tsh20 bn annually. Commenting on this development during the launch

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the Managing Director of TCRA, Prof. John Nkoma said: “The insti-tution of the TTMS has brought a new regulatory tool to the Authorityand will bring more professionalism as well as efficiency in the com-munications sector.

Legal measures While some cyber crimes can now be dealt with using a criminal lawsin place, especially when watertight evidence to corner the suspectscan be obtained using sophisticated equipment like the TTMS, there arestill online criminal areas related to social media operations and sabo-tage which demand new relevant laws to effectively deal with sus-pected offenders. According to sources in the Ministry ofCommunication, Science and Technology, three bills on cyber crimewhich have been on the drawing board for nearly two years, wereready by December 2014 and are expected to be tabled in Parliamentsoon.

Conclusion Much as there are negative impacts of the unprecedented growth of thecommunication sector, spurred by the rollout of the National ICTBroadband Backbone Infrastructure, yet it is a fact that the positivesoutweigh the negatives by far. It worth noting that, on the whole, thedevelopment of the ICT sector has helped to appreciably bridge thedigital communication divide between urban and rural areas, althoughthere is much to be done on this aspect. As demonstrated earlier in thiswrite up, media convergence is enabling mobile phone users in ruralareas to access some internet based communication platforms even inthe absence of internet facilities in their locality.

The Universal Communication Services Access Fund (UCSAF), a gov-ernment Agency tasked to promote availability and use of communi-cation facilities in under-served rural and semi-urban areas is takingadvantage of the expanded ICT infrastructure to reach as many peopleas possible in rural areas. In the year 2013/2914 the Fund implementedsome projects aimed at bridging the urban-rural digital divide.

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It, for example, floated phase 1A of the Rural Communication projectmeant to cover 168 administrative wards while is funded by the WorldBank. It also identified areas for new communication projects, target-ing 4,176 villages in 1476 wards with an estimated population of about4.1 Million Tanzanians

In short, communications experts are of the opinion that the expandedICT infrastructure has brought us to the situation where things willnever be the same in as far as the telecommunications sector is con-cerned. For citizens and companies eager to make use of unfoldingcommunication opportunities in this area, the proverbial sky is thelimit.

References Budget speech 2014/2015 by Minister of Communication, Science andTechnology

The Citizen Dar es Salaam, October16,2014

The Citizen, Dar es Salaam November 27,2014

The Citizen, Dar es Salaam December 5,2014

The Citizen on Sunday, Dar es Salaam November2-9,2014

The Citizen on Sunday, Dar es Salaam, November 16-23,2014

Daily News, Dar es Salaam, November 8,2014

Daily News, Dar es Salaam, November 18,2014

The East African, Nairobi, November 22-29,2014

The Guardian, Dar es Salaam, November 11,2014

The Guardian on Sunday, Dar es Salaam, November 5-12,2014

Habari Leo, Dar es Salaam, August28,2014

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Ichwekeleza Clarence, Director of Communications, Ministryof Communication, Science and Technology (interview)

Kilaba James, Principal Research Office-TCRA(interview)

Kisaka Andrew, Principal Broadcasting Engineer-TCRA(inter-view)

Mannaseh Emmanuel(Phd), Principal Research Officer-CRA(interview)

The Regulator, TCRA Quarterly Magazine, April-June,2014

State of the Media Report 2012, MCT Publication

State of the Media Report 2013, MCT Publication

Video Conference Project, MIST brochure 2013

www.budde.com

www.mct.org.tz

www.nictbb.co.tz

www.tcra.com

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–––––––––––––––––––

Chapter FOUr

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MCt and the president’s promise By Ndimara Tegambwage

One of the activities that seriously engaged the Media Councilof Tanzania (MCT) in the year 2014 was to continually remindHis Excellence the President Jakaya Kikwete, about the com-mitment he made to the nation and the world; that he will havein place the Freedom of Information Act (FIA) in Tanzania be-fore April 2014.

The commitment was made in November 2013 at the Open Gov-ernment Partnership (OGP) summit in London. It is here he alsodeclared that his government was working “towards opennessand freedom of information.” April has come and gone and an-other April is around the corner.

At some point, mid 2014, MCT put up an advertisement on TVostensibly to remind the president, in a more courteous manner:that he made a commitment; that the commitment had not beenhonoured; that citizens, media and media fraternity were stillhopeful that the president will live to his word. There is nodoubt that the president and the “president’s men/women” saw

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MCT and the President’s promise: Ndimara Tegambwage


the advertisement but silence has persisted. And advocacy con-tinues.

The president’s silence on the FIA goes a long way to suggestthat even proposals for changes in media laws, which have beenat his table, are not likely to be effected. This is all about the twoproposed bills – Media Services (MS) and the Right To Informa-tion (RTI) – worked out by the media fraternity and presented togovernment over seven years now.

MCT’s Regulations and Standards Manager, Pili Mtambalikesays, “We are still hopeful; but we are also looking for alterna-tive routes. We are trying to see if petitioning could be anotherway; I mean challenging the bad laws on constitutional basis. Ihope you will be among the early names on the longest list everof petitioners…!”

The proposed new constitutionMCT had another uphill task in advocacy in the year under re-view. The Presidential Constitutional Review Commission,which was tasked to collect citizen’s views in the constitutionmaking process, had done well in the final document on specificareas pertaining to rights and freedoms of citizens and media.

These are Article 39: Freedom of information and freedom of thepress; and Article 30: Freedom of belief and conscience. But notevery member of the constituent assembly understood this; andsome of those who understood the concepts had individual mis-givings and ulterior motives. It demanded lobbying amongmembers of the Assembly to try and keep the original wording,meaning and philosophy.

At some point the Executive Secretary of MCT, Kajubi Muka-janga who happened to be a nominated member of the assem-bly (from the civil society group), formed a team of lobbyists tomove up and down, meet assembly members – explain and sen-

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sitize them on the implications of the articles; their moralstrength and validity. The articles remained intact.

Reporting volatile situationsJournalists must work; and in even hostile situations; but theymust survive, come back and tell the story. It is commonly said,“No story is worth one’s life.” While this may be taken as an ex-cuse to run away from volatile situations, well-meaning mediahouses, associations and training institutions must seek to equipfield journalists with techniques on how to work and survive.

In the year 2014 MCT took it upon itself to conduct 15 trainingsessions for journalists – from print and electronic media; andfrom private and government owned outlets – in how to workin volatile situations. Photo-journalists who attended such train-ing, have come out with an idea of forming an association thatwill henceforth offer skills and advice on how to work in volatilesituations.

Journalism training institutions The Media Council continued, in 2014 to insist that all journal-ism schools or training institutions in the country, apply a com-petency-based curriculum which was developed by the Counciland approved by the National Council for Technical Education(NACTE). The curriculum – based on practical training – is ex-pected to address effectively, the challenges faced by media out-lets which employ graduates straight from journalism trainingschools, only to find out sooner that they were completely inca-pable of producing a copy worth publishing.

In the year under review, MCT granted five provisional and 11permanent approvals to training institutions to use theMCT/NACTE curriculum. Two applications were turned downfor what has been explained as “falling far below the require-ments.” A journalism training school which wishes to use the

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curriculum, must apply to MCT for a copy and approval (SeeState of the Media Report 2013).

Annual EJAT Awards Celebrations for the 3rd Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanza-nia (EJAT) took place on 7th April at Mlimani City Halls in Dares Salaam. The contest had attracted 907 entries. There were 18nominees for awards in different categories. The Life TimeAchievement Award went to Mariam Hamdan of Zanzibar –former journalist/announcer with Sauti ya Zanzibar (Radio)and Zanzibar TV.

Radio Kwizera: Empowering citizens Dotto Bahemu (26) is not trying to invent the wheel. He may justbe doing what others have forgotten, neglected or failed to do.But the project he heads at Radio Kwizera FM station in Ngaradistrict, North-Western Tanzania, is commonly referred to at vil-lage level as “the people’s voice.”

He heads Afya: Hali Halisi project which could translate as:Health: The Real Situation. “We get many tips on a number of is-sues, but our project is exclusively on investigating accounta-bility in public health delivery. So, we hold interviews withoriginal sources; then other members of the public and get thebasis for investigation,” explains Dotto. The project is fundedby the Tanzania Media Fund (MCT).

Calls, messages and complaintsThe following example demonstrates what exactly Afya: HaliHalisi project is doing. Here is Rwimbogo dispensary in Mu-ganza ward in Ngara district. The in-charge at the dispensary isone Nicholas Ndabagoye. Residents of Muganza get in touchwith Kwizera – through direct telephone calls and messages –complaining that their “doctor” comes to work whenever he

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wants; and at times very late and under alcoholic influence; andat other times not showing up at all. Mothers complain that itwas normal practice for them to get back home with unattendedchildren on their backs. Some messages mention a number ofplaces the in-charge frequents and takes long hours on local and,or foreign booze.

This is what Dotto and his team did. They took time to inter-view patients, their relatives and other wananchi who dependon the health facility; frequented the dispensary to observe whatwas going on; and chose to stay a whole day at the hospital tosee what transpires. On that day, they hung about at the dis-pensary from 9 am to 3 pm. The in-charge was nowhere to beseen. He didn’t turn up that day. They went to his home. He wasnot there. They started visiting places mentioned as his favorites.They finally found him at the market place doing exactly whattheir original sources had told them. He was not ready for the in-terview. They went to the district medical officer (DMO) and theadministrative district director (DD); told them what they hadgarnered so as to get their word; and finally put up the story.

The story brought Ndabagoye to his knees. A decision by thedistrict authorities was imminent. He was transferred toKaterere dispensary, in the neighbourhood, where the Afya: HaliHalisi project-cum-programme has reported, “He has changed;he is performing his duties as per professional requirement. Hedoesn’t bear any signs of grudges about us.”

The removal of Ndabagoye was welcome news on the part ofresidents of Muganza ward, relates Dotto who immediatelyadds, “…and the words on our OB Van: ‘Radio Kwizera FM’ gotpermanently engrained in the minds of the residents around thedispensary and beyond. They call and thank us for what theysay is ‘work well done.’ It is from the action taken, wananchi inNgara and beyond are constantly calling us for investigationand expose for good results,” remarks Dotto.”

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What is left out to prove that information leads to people’s aware-ness; puts pressure on authority for change; and leads to action – evenat that grass root level of the community?

Cross-border reportsWord had spread that reporting misdeeds by persons in-chargeat dispensaries had resulted into change. This time callers werefrom Nyabugombe dispensary in Nyakahura ward in Bihara-mulo; also in Kagera region.

At Nyabugombe, in-charge William Kabururwa has been de-moted (now working under a new in-charge) and handed a se-vere reprimand. Reasons for this include, demanding a fee ofShs. 200 from every patient who goes for service; refusing serv-ice to members of National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF);denying free service to children under five years (contrary to na-tional policy); and telling patients and relatives that there was nomedication at the dispensary, but those with money could get itright at his home.

Working on tips, Afya: Hali Halisi team investigated the allega-tions and concluded with Kabururwa. Dotto reports that he was“very uncooperative; and we had to apply devices to get hisvoice without his notice. We aired that and it was really effective.The district authorities took action. There he is: demoted andworking under strict supervision.

Added confidence in media outletNow back in Ngara district, at Kabalenga dispensary in Kanaziward. According to Dotto, the in-charge, one Wilbald Edwardwas demanding a fee, of any amount he could think of, fromwomen who attended clinic services. When this was communi-cated to Afya: Hali Halisi and they started investigation, infor-mation percolated to the in-charge who was reported tellingwomen, “Ok now, you will see…;” which immediately trans-

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lated into a halt on all services to pregnant women.

“We went ahead with investigations; getting all facts and detailsand aired the programme that prompted thorough scrutiny bythe DMO and DD; and necessitated a meeting between the twooffices and the villagers. It resulted in the summary dismissal ofthe in-charge,” relates Dotto.

This is Radio Kwizera FM – a 20-year old community radio sta-tion run by the Jesuits of the Roman Catholic religious orderunder the directorship of Father Damas Misanga.

The radio remains the most affectionate tool for grass root citi-zen empowerment. According to TMF, other inspirational com-munity radio stations in Tanzania on the same route with RadioKwizera FM, include Mbeya Highland FM, which is investigat-ing challenges in water supply; and Kitulo FM in Makete, whichis investigating use and misuse of National Health InsuranceFund (NHIF).

TEF and advocacyThe year under review was a year of Katiba – a time when citi-zens were expected to speak out their minds on what shouldconstitute a new Constitution.

Neville Meena, secretary to the Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF)says, the Forum had a duty of asking all media outlets to pro-vide as much time and space to citizens to air their views onwhat they want to go into the new constitution. This, he says,was another opportunity for media to campaign for removal oflaws that hindered freedom of information and press freedom –areas that the Warioba Commission had squarely endorsed inits final document.

In July, TEF held its annual Editors’ Retreat at Mtwara in South-East Tanzania. The theme of the in-door tete a tete was: Mediaand Natural Resources. Meena reports that they invited experts

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from the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation(TPDC), Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) andindependent experts on gas and other minerals to help addressand further elaborate on many an issue that had emerged in thegas industry.

TEF secretary says another area that concerned the Forum wasnetworking amongst editors and media outlets so as to havecommon stand on matters of common interest.

When the Yellow Press turns GreenThe home of newspapers formerly classified as yellow press, isgradually turning its products green. This is Global Publishers(GP) of Dar es Salaam which, in the year under review, did agood number of investigative stories that attracted public at-tention.

GP publishes six popular outlets namely, Champion, IjumaaWikienda, Uwazi, Risasi, Amani, and Ijumaa.

Richard Manyota, chief executive editor of GP says in an inter-view, that they started as another “entertainment press” but asthey grew up and wrestled with challenges, they made open-ings in areas they had planned but have had little or no visionat all about them.

He cites an example of their “media campaign” they call OFM– Operesheni Fichua Maovu – a type of investigative journalism(IJ) aiming to uncover what he calls “ill-doings in society.”These, he said, included theft and misappropriation of publicfunds; corruption in hospitals, drug-trafficking, torture and ormurder of people with albinism and the elderly; and abuse ofpublic trust and other malfeasance.

In 2014, Manyota says, the OFM desk did five IJ stories. He citesone story as an example. This was about an attempted “unsafe

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ending of a school girl’s pregnancy” in Dar es Salaam. The storywas published in Risasi of Wednesday, 8th October 2014. Re-porters chased the story “to the operation table” of the pur-ported doctor who had already negotiated a fee of Sh. 100,000.“We published it and left it to parents and the police do theirshare,” says Manyota.

Such stories, done under the OFM desk, says the editor, haveenticed more journalists to apply for jobs at GP, increased read-ership and therefore expanded on production, “making us sur-pass, by 100 percent, targets in production and readership whichwe set for 2014.”

“This has not been without results,” the editor says, adding:“…We have since been receiving many telephone calls and smsthan in previous years – seeking advice, thanking and praisingus for the stories published and giving us tips on many issues.Some of the tips, for example on security matters, do not fallunder our areas of investigation; so we forward them to the con-cerned. That is the level of ‘entertainment’ we have reached.”Can’t we call this greenish-yellow?

An Independent TMFThe Tanzania Media Fund (TMF), managed by Hivos (a hu-manist institute from Holland) since it was established, startedin 2014, a transition process to an independent organisation. TheFund was established in 2008.

An announcement online on 9th September 2014 notified that itwas “…no longer accepting new applications for individual orinstitutional grants…for until the end of May 2015, TMF willfocus on finalising its current contracts as it transitions frombeing a donor-managed initiative...”

Here is the Fund from which individuals and institutions havedrawn advice, expertise and money with which to build their

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capacities. Below is a list of institutional grantees in the year2014:

1. Participatory Media for Community Development, DSM 2. Radio Kwizera FM, Ngara – Kagera3. Business Times Limited (BTL), DSM4. Rock FM Radio, Mbeya5. Institute of Continuing Education SUA, Morogoro6. Radio Mpanda FM, Katavi7. 88.5 Tripple ‘A’ FM, Arusha8. Authentic Broadcast Media, Dodoma9. Ebony Entertainment (EBONY FM), Iringa 10. The Corporation of Government Newspapers, ZNZ11. Radio Habari Njema FM, Manyara12. Mbeya Highlands FM Radio, Mbeya13. Local Media Entertainment, DSM14. Super Brains Media Limited, DSM16. Upendo Broadcasting Network (UBN), DSM17. Radio Kitulo FM-Makete, Njombe 18. Standard Radio FM 90.1, Singida19. 94.8 Sunrise FM Radio, Arusha20. CG FM Radio 89.5 mhz, Tabora21. Daraja Development Limited, Njombe22. Zanzibar Broadcast Corporation, Zanzibar23. Kahama Fm Stereo Radio Kahama, Shinyanga24. Alkemist Media Production, DSM25. Jamhuri Media (T) Limited, DSM26. Mpakasi Limited, DSM27. Kigoma Yetu News Paper, Kigoma

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–––––––––––––––––––

Chapter FIVe

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no end to stalemate on Zanzibarmedia sector reforms

By Ally Saleh

The media fraternity in Zanzibar enjoyed yet another quiet andsuccessful year. It was however, a hectic one with a lot of activ-ities dotting the work of independent media activities towardscontributing to the wider national goal.

There were noted achievements to individual institutions eachof which strove to fulfill their own big goals but also found re-sources to take part in various national debates and provide op-portunity to the public to participate in the same.

While the global picture has not been rosy, because there hasbeen a tendency to “ interpret national security needs in anoverly broad and abusive manner to the detriment of the rightto inform and be informed ,” 1 there were no noted violations ofthe rights of media practitioners in Zanzibar.

But there were many challenges to be overcome. The challengesincluded racing against time to bring changes in the media laws

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No end to stalemate on Zanzibar media sector reforms: Ally Saleh


in order to strengthen the profession, a process that has been on-going for a couple of years with the Media Council of Tanzania(MCT) on the lead. Close by have been the local Zanzibar jour-nalists2 and other media stakeholders mainly in the form of nongovernmental organizations.

The local journalists groupings in Zanzibar include ZanzibarPress Club (ZPC), Pemba Press Club (PPC), Tanzania MediaWomen Zanzibar Chapter (TAMWA) and Zanzibar Journalistsfor Development (WAHAMAZA).

The year ended without reaching the finality of this struggle,but at least there has been tremendous forward surge as the doc-ument crossed yet another hurdle as it heads towards becom-ing a bill, and later a law, one of the radical laws that the mediaregime has seen in Zanzibar, as it will be originating from thebones of media practitioners themselves.3

The radical inclusion in the bill are to do with easing of licens-ing requirements, creation of an all round commission dealingwith both the electronic and print issues, the right to get infor-mation as well as the right to access information freely. It callsfor the best way to put records and create a referral system forany one aggrieved in any process to do with media.4

Thus the Media Service Bill is rolling on with full backing of theMedia Council of Tanzania with hopes that this time around,with the lobbying approach that has been taken, hopes are veryhigh that the effort will pay off.5

Zanzibar has also seen steady growth of the media, especiallyelectronic where the road towards digitalization of facilities hasbeen 100 percent successful 6 but also the number of radio sta-tions has increased and by December 2014, The Zanzibar Broad-casting Commission (ZBC) had issued 21 licences for radiooperators which is mainly an area dominated by nationals.7

There have been claims that having exhausted all frequencies

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available in the Mainland, some clever people for technical orbusiness reasons, have started descending over Zanzibar toclaim available frequencies in Zanzibar, thus denying Zanzibarisaccess to the same with ZBC more interested to reserve the samefirst for Zanzibari investors.

However, this is not all true as it is on record that a well knownjournalists who has worked for years with the ITV and the BBC,Abdulla Majura, is owning frequencies in Zanzibar in the nameof Authentic Broadcast Media (ABM) while also owning anotherFM Station in Dodoma. On other hand, Radio Maria originatingfrom Mainland has also been issued with frequencies in Zanz-ibar. However, unknown to many, Majura has Zanzibari originand in this case he was awarded the frequency as a Zanzibari.

In general terms the increase of media outlets in Zanzibar has of-fered more opportunity to enhance the democratization processin Zanzibar and strengthening of the rule of law. But also it hasplayed a very positive role in entrenching the Government ofNational Unity8 and the role is much in need now than ever be-fore as Zanzibar is heading towards critical decisions over theconstitution as well as the General Elections.9

While we are at how media is performing in the light of theGNU, we shall look at an alternative effort that is being taken byan organization specializing in building peace in the name ofSearch for Common Ground 10 which has been involved in ce-menting the Zanzibar power sharing agreement but also deeplyinvolving the media in achieving the same.

It is known for enhancing media freedom, good governance andgender balance and in that pursuit it has conducted upgradecourses for journalists in the broadcasting media hoping thatpeace, harmony, reconciliation and solidarity will grow as dem-ocratic culture in Zanzibar.

It has shown that if guided the electronic media in Zanzibar can

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yield good results in setting a national agenda and, accordingto the culture of listening to radio, many messages can be effec-tively passed through this medium- but also Zanzibar has verygood opportunity to have a good ratio of radio to the populationwhereas 77 percent of the world population has access to radio.11

The year has also seen on June 18, 2014, the launching of the ofbook titled A HISTORY OF ZANZIBAR MEDIA: Traditions andTransitions with Ms. Mariam Hamdan being lead writer12. Theonly previous document that attempted on this was researchwork done by Ms Hamdan as part of her diploma program wayback and studies made by locals and foreigners, but none ofthem had been focused and zoomed in to great detail like thisone. The occasion was graced by Zanzibar Second Vice Presi-dent Ambassador Seif Ali Idd.

As it is, many people who would like to know about Zanzibarmedia would mostly refer to the Chronology of Zanzibar MediaHistory found in the internet which is not detailed. But also itdoes not chronicle the role of media in national politics and so-cial aspects and the players and their roles.13

In strengthening the performance of media practitioners to beable to deliver the state owned training institution The ZanzibarJournalism and Mass Communication14 has been churning outgraduates at diploma and certificate levels, but some have beenquestioning the quality of the production in the field. Concernhas been raised on the importance of succession as there seemsto be a growing gap between the all-round old guards and theupcoming journalists - and they compare like an ant hill to amountain.

While also in trying to bridge the knowledge gap created byfresh graduates who immediately enter into the market becauseof need for human resource, some media outlets have been con-ducting very effective in- service training to cater for specialneeds.15 There a need being felt however, that the contents ofsuch training should be researched to see if they augur well with

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the needs for the betterment of the media fraternity.

Lobby and Advocacy for Media Service Bill (MSB)The struggle for media in Tanzania to bring changes into themedia law has been a two-pronged approach involving both theZanzibar and Tanzania Mainland sides under the umbrella ofthe Media Council of Tanzania. It has been a slow going effortbut has surged on.16

Recently there have been statements made by the President ofTanzania, Dr. Jakaya Kikwete, as well as indication by Presidentof Zanzibar Dr. Ali Muhammed Shein17 that the proposed MSBbill would be tabled in the respective law making bodies,namely the Union Parliament and the Zanzibar House of Rep-resentatives.

There has been always feelings that things should change inZanzibar to pave way for free and independent press in Zanz-ibar, but it was in the year 2006 that this was being said in pub-lic when the Media Council in Tanzania had called for a meetingto discuss challenges facing journalists in Zanzibar. The samewas repeated during the World Press Freedom Day in 2007 and2008.

MCT convened a stakeholders meeting on March 26, 2009specifically for discussing the idea of moving forward and in-vited 15 stakeholders from all over Zanzibar including youths,women, lawyers and disabled groups. A decision to becomeproactive was reached in unison and hence a professional teamof three lawyers was appointed to start initial work of headingtowards having a legal document to be forwarded to the gov-ernment.

They were Ali Uki, Fatma Saleh and Ali Ali who after gettingTerms of Reference (ToR) went on to produce a research worktitled “ A study on the policies and laws relating to freedom ofpress and expression in Zanzibar”18 which found out as well 10

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oppressive laws in the Zanzibar books.

The research report was presented to stakeholders on June 25,2009 where the stakeholders contributed their views and helpedto shape the way forward .The same trio of lawyers was giventhe task to take the move forward and this time they producedtwo sets of bills namely “ Stakeholders’ Proposal on the Draft Zanz-ibar Media Service Bill” and the “ Stakeholders’ Proposal on theDraft Right to Information Bill”

Two thousand copies of the Swahili version and 700 of Englishversion were produced and stakeholders in Unguja met to dis-cuss the proposal on August 20, 2009 while those in Pemba con-verged for the same purpose on September 15, 2009. The secondround meetings for the same were conducted in order to con-solidate the proposals.

The Executive Secretary of MCT, Mr. Kajubi Mukajanga, handedover the Draft Bills, one on Media Services and the other onFreedom of Information, to the Zanzibar Minister for Informa-tion, Hon. Ali Juma Shamhuna, on an occasion which markedthe opening of yet another door in the struggle for mediachanges in Zanzibar.19

Following the elections in 2010, a new government was formedand Mr. Shamhuna, though still in cabinet, was not returned toinformation portfolio and Mr. Kajubi had again to come to Zanz-ibar to meet the new Minister, Hon. Abdillahi Jihad, in order tokeep the issue live and to create continuity.20

The year 2014 has been very hectic for this cause. Several lobbyand advocacy meetings were held with government officials in-cluding Director of Information, Minister for Information, Prin-cipal Secretary Ministry of Information and Executive SecretaryZanzibar Broadcasting Commission.21

Commendable job has been done by the Media Law ReviewCommission (MLRC) under Ms. Mariam Hamdan which has

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met 6 times to shape out the proposed bills, and it was throughthese meetings it was thought to have one instead of two billsand fuse the concept of freedom of information inside the MediaService Bill, though countries like India have two separate lawsfor clarity and implementation purposes.

Director of Information Rafii Haji Makame kept a permanentpresence representing the government and looking at its inter-est thereby. The meetings also had a permanent presence of MrAli Hussein representing the Zanzibar Broadcasting Commis-sion which has also a high stake in the new law in the making.

The zero draft of MSB has been finalized and passed to the gov-ernment for its journey through the Permanent Secretaries Com-mittee, the Cabinet and the Zanzibar House of Representatives- beginning from its relevant committee to final approval in thefull house to become a law.

The current status of the Bill is awaiting for the passing of a con-cept note, now a new requirement under the modality to carrythrough proposed bills in the government system, according toMr Makame, The Director of Information Department. At thetime of writing this report he was the Acting Director of theZanzibar Broadcasting Commission.22

However, Mr Makame though appreciating that the new billwould enhance democracy and good governance, is wary that itdoes not have features that will turn the economic engine on. “I have a feeling that the bill is lacking something. I do not see itcovering areas out of the media that are necessarily part of themedia like social aspects, disasters, technology and economy.”

He also said that while the bill might have introduced some rad-ical changes, it should be more robust to have that cutting edge.“ If I were to revisit the bill, and luckily we still have time to lookinto the issue of social media which is growing very fast in ourmidst, but also to ensure that we do not miss the chance to makethe best bill and be forward looking - only to regret when we

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have missed this train.”

Though the MSB was supposed to amalgamate two laws, that isthe Broadcasting Commission Act and the Newspaper Act, it wasalso supposed to take aboard the new concept of freedom on in-formation focussing on how the citizen is able to access infor-mation that is not easily forthcoming or that authoritiesdeliberately hide .

A critical review of the Bill has shown that the aspect of Free-dom of Information is not very prominent. Although issuance ofinformation to journalists is covered, the essence of Freedom ofInformation should be open to the citizenry at large - As far asthis perspective is concerned, no mechanism to that effect is ad-dressed.

We have indicated earlier that the proposed bill is making a rad-ical shift from the current media scene in Zanzibar. It will sig-nificantly depart from the Newspaper Act23 pointed out by theNyalali Commission24 , which has been condemned by mediapractitioners as restrictive to their practice. But the proposed billwill also impact on the current Zanzibar Broadcasting Commis-sion. Both laws will be struck off the legal books after the pas-sage of this bill.

The novelty of the bill which contains 87 sections, is the forma-tion of the Media Service Commission which, for the first time,will deal with issues of electronic and print media under oneroof. It will thus issue broadcasting licenses for radio and tele-vision, as well as for publication of newspapers, journals andbooks.

The innovation included in the bill is that there will not beyearly licensing but rather it will be forward-rolling upon pay-ment of subscribed fees, according to one of the sections of theBill. The right to get, gather and receive information fromwithin and outside national borders is covered, and a sectionrecognizing the right to get information as human right, which

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guarantee freedom of journalists to gather information, has alsobeen included.

There will be an obligation for government and private entitiesto issue information; a penalty of a fine of Tsh.500,000 or im-prisonment for six months for someone who holds information,and no one will be allowed to refuse issuing information or re-quest thereof by merely arguing that what is available is inad-equate. This is meant to minimize excuses given to avoidfulfillment of this obligation.

While the Bill seeks to build a new culture where no media out-let will be permanently struck off the register. The safety andsecurity of the media personnel is ably covered in this Bill whenit states:

“ Any person who threatens, blocks, attacks, in-jures, tortures, or does any illegal action withthe intention of stopping from reaching a placewhere there is an event for news, or to gatherinformation, or not to be able to transmit news,or to publish such news will be committing anoffence and if found guilty will serve a sixmonth imprisonment sentence.” (Translationis mine).

Right of refuting and right of reply is provided under the com-ing law as well the right of journalists to join unions. A journal-ist will be recognized if he has a minimum qualification of acertificate in the profession. The Bill wants Zanzibar media or-gans to put their content in compulsory depository, which willbe a new culture in Zanzibar if will be implemented.

Any media employee who ask for a bribe or to any unlawfulmanner blackmail, ask for monetary favor in order to publish astory or to suppress a criminal related story, or a story to do withpersonal credibility will be charged under laws related to cor-ruption, and consequently lose his or her press card

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A section also protects the journalist or media house from facingcriminal prosecution if the action claimed to have been made bythe journalist or media house was in the furtherance of Zanz-ibar constitution and human rights enshrined there in; the rightto publish information as well as publishing a court judgement.The duty of informing the public and also a statement issued bya person with such authority or knowledge of the information inquestion.

It has been shown that there are many significant changes thatare forthcoming with the law but also some concerns that theproposed bill is weak in some parts and that it does miss thepush for social-economic-technological developments. It is alsoargued that the concept of freedom of information has not beenfully captured. This means the bill needs to be re-addressed tofill these yawning gaps.

Zanzibar Broadcasting CommissionThe Zanzibar Broadcasting Commission(ZBC) was establishedin 1997 25 to fill the void as a result of opening up of airwaves fol-lowing policy changes in Zanzibar. It was specifically tasked toregulate electronic media, both television and radio. They areboth cable and satellite based television. Since then ZBC hasnever looked back.

Mr. Abdulla Mitawi, Registrar at ZBC says that the Corporationwas also established in order to enhance democratization of theislands and allow the growing of freedom of expression as pro-vided under the Zanzibar Constitution. This augurs well for thepluralistic nature of Zanzibar politics.

“ We now have an opportunity for different debates and viewsto be heard. Many FM stations do live coverage of political meet-ings. For instance Chuchu FM is known to go for Civic UnitedFront(CUF) while Zenj FM follows Chama chaMapinduzi(CCM) meetings and we get the balance.”26

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In 2014 ZBC issued frequencies for two Community Radio sta-tions, namely Tumbatu Community Radio ( Unguja island) andChokocho Community Radio (Pemba Island), which are all jointlyfunded by ZBC and United Nations Education, Scientific andCultural Organzation (UNESCO). All such radios are requiredto consider gender balance and people’s participation by hav-ing representatives from all available shehias ( villages) in agiven setting.

There are two other radio stations, namely Micheweni Commu-nity Radio ( Pemba) and Mtegani Community Radio (Unguja)whose performance is praised by Mr Mitawi who says: “Theyhave done a commendable job. They have bridged the informa-tion gap that was yawning. To make them relevant we even en-courage them to use local languages.”

In as far as cable television stations are concerned, the only oneto go into the register has been the Aljazira Cable Television inPemba.

In 20 14 ZBC has registered only two players in the FM familywhich are Joy Radio owned by a high ranking Chama cha Mapin-duzi official, Mr. Vuai Ali Vuai, and the second is Wananchi FM,flying the flag CUF. Radio Wananchi FM has been signal testingsince December 2014.

Since inception ZBC has facilitated operation of 27 FM stations;five community radios; 3 cable television and six satellite ormultiplex based television entities, all freely airing their content.

ZBC has hardly had conflict with both radio and television own-ers regarding the content they provide to their audience. WhileZBC admits there are occasional complaints yet most of themedia houses have been exercising self restraint knowing howintricate and sensitive the Zanzibar culture is.

“ In few cases where we got complaints from members of thepublic, our approach has been to talk with media owners. We

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prefer mediation to confrontation. We have so far not suspendedany television or radio station for violation of regulations set bythe Corporation,” Mitawi said.

He denied the allegation that ZBC has tried to cow some sta-tions against criticizing the government or its leaders but rathersays what happens is self censorship exercised by some mediahouses, especially during live political meetings when the for-mer become too emotional or unruly. Wisdom, he says, directsthem to avoid such meetings.

Mr. Mitawi revealed to this researcher that ZBC has a monitor-ing system which is able to routinely record 6 radio stations for24 hours of a day and that equipment they have can maintain a365 days storage of recorded content. It will soon expand torecording 22 FM stations every day and information can be re-trieved at a click of the button. He said that this will make it eas-ier for ZBC to refer to the record in case of any disputes.

The last time Zanzibar conducted her own audience survey wasin 2008. Financial constraints are cited as a reason for not un-dertaking this important exercise since then. ZBC has to dependon surveys conducted by other organizations not even based inZanzibar . Mr. Mitawi says the Zanzibar Government takesthese findings with caution because it is not aware of theirmethodology used and the fact that they are commercially mo-tivated also lead to reservation.

Such kinds of surveys have put Zenj FM ahead of the pack asfar as FM radio stations are concerned . However, Mr. Mitawibelieves that as far as television is concerned the state ownedZanzibar Broadcasting Corporation television is leading becauseit is connected to Zanzibar Cable Television (ZCTV) , ZMUX (Zanzibar government owned multiplex operator), Azam TV,ZUKU as well as Star Times, an entity partly owned by Tanza-nia Broadcasting Corporation (TBC).

On claims that there are more frequencies than takers in Zanz-

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ibar leading the same being dished to Mainlanders, Mr. Mitawisaid this was partly true, but is under an arrangement approvedby the Tanzania Communication Regulation Authority (TCRA).Two such FM stations are Radio Maria and Radio Imani ,both re-ligious based.These have targeted Zanzibar for reason of ex-panding their audience but also to make a presence.

Several Zanzibar radios, namely Chuchu FM, Radio Nur, BombaFM, Clouds FM and Hits FM are in advanced stages of extendingto Mainland by acquiring frequencies. TCRA and ZBC have al-ready approved this idea at board level and what is waited foris operational take off.

This has been made even more possible after successful com-pletion of an exercise that audited the current performance andthrough a technical process designed to get extra new frequen-cies- though it could not be known how many frequencies areready for distribution should the takers come forward.

Search for Common GroundSearch for Common Ground27 is an organization started in theUnited States with a view of intervening globally on issues ofpeace especially in places where there has been war or insecu-rity.

It has fostered interests in encouraging engagement, inclusionand dialogue where this has been lacking and democracy andgood governance was at stake. And this why they thought ofcoming to Zanzibar, following a protracted political feud be-tween Chama cha Mapinduzi CCM and the Opposition CivicUnited Front CUF28

A golden hand shake between Opposition leader Seif ShariffHamad and President Amani Karume29 at the height of politicalanimosity and after three disputed elections promised to end allof this and bring peace to Zanzibar political scene. A referen-dum was called on July 31, 2010 after two opposing sides in the

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House of Representatives had seen the reasoning and passed theZanzibar Referendum Act that paved way for a very historicpeople’s decision.30

A change in the Zanzibar Constitution31, popularly known as“Tenth Amendment” allowed for the formation of Governmentof National Unity (GNU) and the winner take all system whichwas the reason for continuing conflicts in Zanzibar was to beburied. However, the system was created out of the strong andthe weak and hence tended to benefit more the ruling CCMthan CUF. It was only at the top and did not trickle down.32

This had potential for future problem and was not likely to sus-tain the GNU .This is where Head of the Search for CommonGround, Ms. Susan Collins, thought there was a need to make anintervention.

The program tried elsewhere, in similar situations which re-quired instilling the notion of participation, citizen engagementand dialogue. Everyone should feel part of the GNU, andthough weak at the base, the joint government should be strongenough to command respect from the very bottom where thepeople reign supreme.

According to Ali Sultan33 the program had key areas namelymedia, governance, access to justice and gender based violence.It dealt with cross cutting ministries and was created to helpsupport the demand of the people to know more of their gov-ernment so that they could find stronger reasons to support andsustain it.

It was found out that there was lack of linkage between the GNUand the people and that while there was demand to know whatis happening there was no corresponding supply of informationfrom the government to the people. And this gap tended to cre-ate discontent that would breed resentment.

The program had direct arrangement of engaging the political

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leaders like training legislators at the Zanzibar House of Repre-sentatives (ZHR). Journalists and media personnel were mostlycoached on what is known as peace journalism which called forcreation of a platform that would allow the venting out of angeron government performance or even for giving compliments.

All main stream radios in Zanzibar, namely ZBC Radio, RadioNur, Zenj FM, Hits FM, Chuchu FM and Micheweni CommunityRadio were involved, with 82 journalists being trained - theyset out to run 224 programs which were indeed completed. Theprograms were required to be participatory and with non-com-bative lang

Sultan gave an example where the thorny issue of what is seenas deliberate denial of Zanzibar National Identities (ZanID) ismore against the Opposition supporters mainly attached for rea-sons of denying the same the right to vote, he had to find a wayof putting the point across but in a positive approach.

“ I devised an approach which we wanted the journalists to ap-proach the ZanID question from the angle of its importance tosocial-religious-economic side for the lack of it. Like one wouldnot be able to inherit, one was not able to access higher educa-tion and one was not able to get a bank loan for personal or busi-ness development. And it worked with no finger pointing orsuspicion.”34

Sultan is of the opinion that the program was of great help andit helped to solidify the GNU but he admits that more couldhave been done and probably that is the reason there was hasbeen growing and open tendency to question its existence andputting its existence in question

A history of Zanzibar Media: Traditions and

TransitionsZanzibar has been known to have embraced civilization as soon

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as it knocked her door. It welcomed all who found her open andwho were ready to engage her in trade in ivory, slaves and ivoryas they passed to the Far East and back making Zanzibar a veryvital calling point when seafaring was meant to conquer theworld and establish source of raw materials and colonies.

It was strange that Zanzibar began reading printed newspapersbefore it printed her own. They were Essex Register (1820-1840)and Salem Gazette (1827-c. 1880) all from Massachusetts in theUnites States of America35 and only in October 1880 Zanzibarwas to see her first newspaper in the name of Msimulizi beingowned by the Anglican Cathedral Church to serve the ex-slavesher decided to settle in Zanzibar.

This opened up the floodgates of publications in many lan-guages included Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Gujerati, English andKiswahili and also very much later the introduction of the firstpublic radio, first colour television in Africa and the book titledA HISTORY OF ZANZIBAR MEDIA: Traditions and Transitionswritten by Ms Mariam Hamdan, Ali Rashid and Fatma Amoursets to put on record.

The idea and later germination into a book was put forward byPresident of Zanzibar, Dr Ali Muhammed Shein when he wel-comed at the State House a delegation of the top Media Coun-cil of Tanzania on March 13, 2012.

Lead author Ms Hamdan says the book could have been betterwritten if there was more time for research and expansion of thetopics. “ A lot of dilly dallying hampered our time for the work.The President’s idea was not put into action as quick as it shouldhave been.”36

The book which is 230 pages long and is made up of 10 Chap-ters launched by the Zanzibar Second Vice President Ambassa-dor Seif Ali Idd37 divulges the rich media culture that Zanzibarhas and covers interesting topics such as Emergence of the Pressin Zanzibar, Colonial State and the Media, Prevalence of Politi-

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cal Journalism, Introduction of Broadcasting Services, Post Rev-olution Media Landscape and section dealing with Policy andMedia Laws.

One is bound to be left in shock and awe as he or she perusesthrough the pages to see how Zanzibar was the master of thepress in East Africa and publishing more than fifty newspapersand magazines which were in circulation mostly being privatelyowned and detailed list of all publications, owners and evencover prices is provided in the book.

The seed for “modern means were introduced in Zanzibar bySultan Barghash bin Said (1870-1890) when he returned from avisit in England where he brought printing machines using Ara-bic and Roman scripts.”38

Chapter Four of the book offers interesting ready as it dwells onhow effectively the Colonial Government used media to furtherand strengthen in hold on Zanzibar. While printing was gener-ally in private hand, mostly very much political39 soon after theSecond World War, the Government introduced many publica-tions of its own to be vehicle for disseminating information andpropagate its own agenda.

The aspect of broadcasting is covered under Chapter Six and thebook informs the reader that before Sauti ya Unguja was intro-duced on March 15, 1951 its root went back to 1879 when cablecommunication with Europe was established and followed byattempt to establish radio in 1927. Four privately owned shortreceivers were known to have been at the Stone Town area withradio sets in several households.

The book mentions some of the best broadcasters in Zanzibarand they include Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Buesh who was the firstannouncer and he was followed by Abdulrahman MuhammedAboud. Others wereSheikh Salim Mzee, Sheikh Haidar jabir.

The first female announcer to be employed in 1957 was the late

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Ms. Zeyana Seif first being refused but won on an appeal. Shewas followed by Ms. Sanura Shaksy a year later both of whomwent on to be big names in the broadcasting in Zanzibar andoutside

Radio has played a very important role as a tool to foster com-munication and contact between the government and the peo-ple; as a culture and social vehicle and also as means tostrengthen the Kiswahili language of which Zanzibar takespride of being one of her pillars.

In Zanzibar radio has been a companion and a chain thatbounds people of different social strata and as such every Zanz-ibari identifies him or herself to the radio culture.

An interesting reading can also be found at Chapter Nine of thebook which discusses the media laws and policies that Zanzibarhas had and how they have been impacting media scene inZanzibar going back as far as Colonial period and as well asgoing ahead in times covering the Registration of News Agent,Newspapers and Books Act of 198840, the Zanzibar Broadcast-ing Commission Act of 199741 and the chapter also discussestwo media areas policies in place.

In guiding the implementation of the laws, two policies namely– Information Policy 2006 and Broadcasting Policy 2008 butlacked the openness and the thrust that was required to be themachinery that pushed the implementation at a time when free-dom of expression can no longer be easily curtailed.

The chapter looks at how freedom of information and expres-sion can be enjoyed in Zanzibar without hitches and notes thatwhile the Constitution of Zanzibar provides unfettered condi-tion to enjoy the same, but on the other hand the same govern-ment has enacted several laws that are stumbling block to pressfreedom42 indicating that there is still room and need for im-provement.

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While launching the book the Zanzibar Second Vice President,Ambassador Seif Ali Idd said it was a milestone in Zanzibar his-tory that this particular area has been remembered and recordedfor present and future generations and further saying there willbe now a possibility of encompassing the Zanzibar media his-tory into the journalism curriculum.43

He noted that this was not the end hence there was a need forothers to write another book that will trace and track the mediapersonnel who have served the profession and earned respectof their colleagues and the country. “ By so doing our youngpopulation will identify with the success of such journalists andthey will have people to look upon, a concept better known asrole models.”

The Second VP noted the concern that lies deep in the hearts ofmedia practitioners of negative laws negatively impacting theirpractice and only if things were to change that will make Zanz-ibar stand tall among the best in the league of media practicesay He made a solemn promise.

“ That is why in order to erase that shortcoming we are now see-ing a process in both Zanzibar and Tanzania to reform medialaws so as to march with time and without any friction betweenthe government and media institutions. I would like to state thatthe Media Service Bill now at a very advance stage, will be tak-ing a fast lane so that we can attain the desired goal for our owndevelopment, peace, tranquility and solidarity.”

It was also an occasion for the Second Vice President to chal-lenge the scribers to adhere to their professional code of conductand take their role as educators seriously as well as to abide bythe laws of the land. He said on the other side the governmentwill protect their freedom and security.

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The Zanzibar School of Journalism and Mass

CommunicationZanzibar has had great journalists who did not receive trainingin the years before the 1964 Revolution and they were very in-strumental in shaping the political struggle when they editedvarious publications both independently but also under politi-cal parties of the day and this was evidence by huge number ofpublications.

During the independence struggle and also after the 1964 Rev-olution Zanzibar had a second wave of great mostly sent fortraining friendly countries like Egypt but as well as many otherEastern Europe countries like Czeschoslovakia, Bulgaria, Hun-gary, Yugoslavia and East Germany and some dispatched to thethen emerging nation – China. Some even worked in mediahouses in those countries.44

Many years after the 1964 press freedom was suppressed andhence private media houses were not existence but only Sautiya Tanzania Zanzibar and state sponsored newspapers Kweupe,Kweli ikidhihiri appearing in Kiswahili and its English versionWhen Truth Prevails, and journalism as profession was not in de-mand.

The change of heart and policy in the 1980’s saw many journal-ists being dispatched for training in the two main institutionsby then – School of Journalism in Dar es salaam and TheNyegezi Social Training Centre in Mwanza owned by theCatholic Church. It was around this time that another crop ofprofessionals who re-shaped the profession in Zanzibar.45

The Zanzibar Government took yet another important turnwhen it decided to start her own training centre and a law waspassed by the House of Representatives in 2006 by the name ofZanzibar School of Journalism and Mass Media (ZJMC)46 and ithas been a game changer.

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In 6 graduation ceremonies it has churned out 305 Certificategraduates and in 5 graduations it has produced 222 diplomaholders while at the same time it has produced 76 basic or shortcourse finishers.

“ Since we have come into being we have had very good for-ward linkage program. Most of those who go through basiccourse went on to join certificate courses and those who clearcertificate course and earn qualifications have joined diplomalevel,” says Mr. Rashid Omar, the Academic Officer.

Many of the graduates have gone to become key and senior per-sonnel in both private and government media houses. Ms.Husna Muhammed has climbed to feature editor, Mr. Haji Nas-sor is heading Zanzibar Leo newspaper in Pemba and MulhatDoria and Hafidh Kassim are editors at Chuchu FM and HitsFM respectively. Many more have gone to work in TanzaniaMainland.

But Mr. Omar admits there is huge generation gap which is veryhard to fill. He was reacting to criticism that the products theyproduce cannot fit in the market but very few of them. He saidthe reason for this was multi pronged and both of them are be-yond ZSJ&MM.

“The learning environment in Zanzibar is not very good. We donot produce students who are capable of learning let alone theEnglish language deficiency but secondly we change our edu-cation policy way too often,” noted Mr. Omar.

He said, under this situation it was hard to be expected to pro-duce a super journalist in two years, though a three year pro-gram with more field assignments could be more desirable butboth for time and financing , it is hard to fulfill.

ZSJ&MM finds it hard to attach students to field work for lackspaces in the local media houses and also for lack of mentorshipprograms it has been hard to strengthen them. There is also fear

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that the newly educated might take away the jobs from the ex-perienced workers and so they hesitate to pass on the knowl-edge.

The training institution believes that the problem in producingquality products lies more in the lack of equipment than lack ofteachers though it now has 40 percent service of part time teach-ers to fill the gap of permanent tutors.

However, the ZJMC plans to have in the next three years at least5 teachers holding Master’s Degree and in five years to obtain 7PhD holders in gear shifting move that will allow it run degreeand under graduate degree courses.

It is already being suggested that there is a need to review thelaws establishing ZJMC which seems to be outlived by eventssuch as Section 10 which requires a mere degree holder or equiv-alent to be its principal:

“ The Principal shall have minimum qualification of a degreein mass communication or its equivalent on relevant field.”

The courses that are in the pipeline include Marketing Commu-nication; International Relations and Diplomacy; Business Plan-ning and Management; Youth Education and Development aswell as Language and Interpretation. For the last three years theZJMC has been running Chinese language course as part of thetwo year Diploma Course which now the back bone of the in-stitution. Surely Chinese is the next big global language.

To accommodate such dreams the ZJMC plans to have twoteaching centres one in town and the other at Tunguu, South Re-gion. The government has allocated Tshs 200,000,000 ( two hun-dred million shillings) and work is in progress for the townproject mainly teaching classes and the next project will be atTunguu where the School will have her own boarding facilities.

In the light of such changes, Mr. Omar said it was time that part-

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ners like the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) shifts to capac-ity building approach of its partners to be able to cope with theincreased academic demand. This will make huge impact be-cause the pace of changing technology out runs the financial ca-pability of the local training institutions.

While it is working hard to satisfy National Council for TertiaryEducation (NACTE) in order to move from provisional regis-tration to full registration in the next one year in order to gainthe status it deserves to have as the first training institution inZanzibar where media has been part of the culture.

Other referencesHamdan, M; Ali, R and Amour, F A HISTORY OF ZANZIBARMEDIA: Traditions and Transitions, MCT 2014

Hamdan, M Zanzibar Newspapers 1902-1974, Thesis forDiploma in Journalism, Tanzania School of Journalism (TSJ),Dare salaam, 1981.

Lofchie M, Zanzibar Background to Revolution, Oxford, Uni-versity Press, London, 1965

Stummer. Martin; Media History of Tanzania 1888-1996 found athttp://www.afrika.info/mediahistorytanzania.html

"Zanzibar Democracy. On Shaky Foundations" by Article 19found at http://www.article19.org/

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state of the media report - mct...reference number dsmz/cid/b.1/volxx/128 which ordered them to...

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