Tanzania media laws 'outdated', council secretary says

The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) has chastised parliament for dragging its feet on the creation of an updated media bill, calling current media laws "outdated" and "oppressive", Tanzania's The Guardian reported Tuesday (November 26th).

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"The lack of a comprehensive media bill that provides for freedom of expression and access to information is seriously hurting the country's media fraternity," said Pili Mtambalike, acting executive secretary of MCT, during an interview with executive director of the International Press Institute (IPI) Alison Bethel McKenzie.

Mtambalike said since the media law was tabled in parliament over eight years ago, it has since been put off from discussion.

"We are particularly concerned with recent developments in the media industry of the country … we have information suggesting repeated violations of human rights and suppression of media freedom," Mtambalike said.

McKenzie said that IPI intends to begin a series of short media courses for Tanzanian journalists in order to support emerging professionals in the field.

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