Media freedom is a state where the media is allowed to operate freely without undue government control.
Many years back, governments attempted to muffle the media and prevent them from speaking the truth to the people.
However, there are bodies and associations that have come up to fight back governments’ attempts to muzzle the media.
No matter what a country is going through, the press must be allowed to operate freely, independently and objectively. Shutting down the media denies access to information and leaves the populace in the dark.
The current situation in Tanzania reminds us of a novel that was once used as a literature set book in Kenya “Darkness at Noon”. The novel tells the story of one person who was arrested and accused of being a traitor. On elections day, riots erupted in Tanzania, this was then followed by a curfew. Sadly, the media within the country was barred from reporting. There was no news coming out from local media to tell the story of what was going on, other than the state media. This could mean that the information coming from state media was not independent but manipulated. To make matters worse there was internet shutdown so the world was completely locked out of Tanzania.
For a long time, Tanzania was a one-party state under the leadership of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. However, like other evolving democracies, there has been an emergence of opposition parties and independent private media. It’s in Tanzania where successions have been smooth but all within the ruling political party. Dissenting voices, both from media and political arenas, have been muffled. Journalists have been arrested or disappeared without trace.
Associations like the Tanzania Editors Forum, the Tanzania Media Women Association and the Media Institute of Southern Africa, Tanzania chapter are all registered to help fight for a free operating environment for the media.
In 1948, when there were attempts to muzzle press freedom, journalists’ associations came up to form the World Association of News Publishers. WANM-IFRA continues to fight for press freedom globally and speaks out whenever journalists are arrested or detained or whenever there are attempts to block press freedom. WAN-IFRA, a global organisation, notes that silence kills democracy but a free press talks. In talking, a free press allows for access to information that is reliable. By blocking the media to tell the story of Tanzania, the government has left Tanzanians and the world at large to rely on social media where fake news, misinformation and disinformation abound.
Media associations must speak out on behalf of their colleagues in Tanzania so that true and independent news will come out of the country. The cloud of darkness brought about by internet and power shoutdowns sparks fears of press freedom violations against journalists, among other human rights violations. In defence of press freedom in Tanzania, the media will be able to lift the cloud of darkness that hangs over the East Africa country. This way, fundamental rights to free and open information for the people of Tanzania must be actioned and seen to happen.
While elections have been marred by demonstrations accompanied by allegations of rigging, information can no longer continue to be shrouded in darkness of a muffled press. The people of the Muungano ya Jamhuri ya Tanzania must have access to information, and the private and independent media must be allowed to operate freely and do what they have been established for.
Press freedom is the epitome of a true democracy whether in Africa, Europe or America. Let Tanzania not muzzle the press.
