The Media Institute of Southern Africa (Tanzania Chapter) would like to express shock, distress and concern over recent government threats against Mwananchi and Mwanahalisi newspapers communicated through the Information Department (MAELEZO) but made public by the papers themselves.
The threats to the newspapers above come as shock bearing in mind that the role of the media during campaigns is very crucial. The media outlets, both print and electronic, in this country have helped to inform voters, educate the electorate and provide a forum for important election related discussions to flourish.
Both print and electronic media in Tanzania have played a very crucial role to ensure the electorate is informed about pertinent issues which include the election manifestoes of competing political parties, candidates, electoral procedures as voters rights and obligations.
Looking at the work of the two Mwananchi and Mwanahalisi through the lens of professional or any media academician, the two newspapers being threatened have done nothing less than to simply play their role in democracy. The governments threat therefore poses a serious infringement to press freedom while at the same time, interfering with constitutional rights of citizens to be informed and to communicate their views, opinions and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.
MISA-Tan therefore calls on all citizens to consider the question of press freedom as an election issue.
Voters need, therefore, to scrutinize candidates and political parties on their positions with regards to issues of press freedom and the citizens right to information and what they will do, elected, to ensure that legislation is in place to promote and protect these rights.
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