Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
Journalist Dinna Maningo is still detained after a week. Two more journalists Samweli Mwanga and Constantine Mathias arrested in Simiyu
Mwanza police have held journalist Dinna Maningo since June 13, 2024, following her arrest in Tarime and transfer to Mwanza. According to her lawyer, Ms.Maningo is detained for allegedly publicizing confidential investigation documents.
Maningo’s arrest is linked to her reporting on her blog, Dima Online, about allegations against the former Simiyu Regional Commissioner, Dr. Yahya Nawanda, who was accused of sodomizing a university student in Mwanza City.
Following her report and subsequent media coverage, the President removed Nawanda from his post on June 11, 2024, and appointed Kenan Laban Kihongosi as the new Regional Commissioner.
Read the full article here
Report highlights sorry state of Tanzania’s media economy: Falling revenues, tech challenges, and the rise of ‘comedic’ journalism
The committee tasked with assessing Tanzania’s media economy launched its report today, June 18, 2024, during a conference of government information officers at the Mlimani City Conference Hall in Dar es Salaam, revealing a sorry state of affairs, including low pay, inadequate investment, and new challenges due to technology.
The committee, inaugurated on January 24, 2023, by Minister of Information and Communication Technology Nape Nnauye to evaluate the economic state of Tanzania’s media, was led by Tido Mhando, former CEO of Azam Media, along with nine other experts from various media sectors in the country.
The report reveals that 77 per cent of journalists earn less than Sh500,000, with 56 per cent lacking contracts for periods ranging from one to six years. Only 38 per cent of these contracts include health insurance. Shockingly, some journalists receive as little as Sh2,000 per story.
Read the full article here
Outgoing MCL Boss Bakari Machumu reflects on his journalistic, managerial journey
After working in various roles for two decades for the leading print media company in Tanzania, Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL), Bakari S. Machumu, the company’s Managing Director, will step down on August 31, 2024, the company announced on June 3, 2024, raising questions about where he’ll go next.
In an interview with The Chanzo, Mr Machumu, who holds a Masters in Media Leadership and Innovation from the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communication in Kenya, explained that his intention to retire had been in place for a long time and he now believes it is the right time to do so.
The father of one expressed that he retires from the company without regrets. He has been an employee since 2004 when he joined the company as the Business Editor for The Citizen, the company’s English-language tabloid. He’s proud that his only daughter, Hope, is as old as his time at MCL.
“I am not leaving [MCL] with any regret at all because every leader who comes in plants certain things in you,” Machumu, who turned 55 in May, says in the interview. “When I joined [the company], perhaps people did not know me, but today, as I leave, people recognise that I have made a few contributions, so I truly have nothing to regret.”
Read the full article here
Join us in a public Space on X: ‘Fear of online debates and arguments advocating for the banning of social media X (Formerly Twitter)’
Today at around 7 pm we will host a public space regarding the ongoing campaign led by the ruling party CCM youth wing (UVCCM), to ban X in Tanzania.
UVCCM through its network has been advocating for the banning of X citing pornography and LGBTQ content, the argument has also been advocated by several religious leaders who are known supporters of the ruling party.
The campaign looks coordinated enough to have a series of successive steps. Adding weight to the debate, the Minister of Information, Communication and Information Technology, Nape Nnauye said the government will take appropriate action at the right time.
In an X post, Nnauye said: “We see all the debates. The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) will fulfill its duty to ensure Tanzania, especially our children, are safe! TCRA will assess the consequences of policy changes made by the respective network and other platforms, and take appropriate action at the right time!”
X has become a crucial platform for political dialogue and activism in Tanzania. Many activists use it, and the presence of diaspora activists has intensified its role in political discourse. The platform’s influence has even prompted the government to alter its stance on various issues, earning it the nickname “Twitter Republic” among Tanzanians.
The discussion will feature Carol Ndossi, Advocate Jebra Kambole, Journalist Elias Msuya and The Chanzo Editor Joel Ntile as opening speakers.
You can follow the debate here from7pm today: https://x.com/i/spaces/1YqxoDDaWZgKv
Read our story regarding the campaign here: Political Heat on X (Twitter) Forces Ruling Party Supporters to Call for App Ban in Tanzania, Citing Pornography
This is it for today, and we hope you enjoyed our briefing. Please consider subscribing to our newsletter (see left), following us on X (Twitter) (here), or joining us on Telegram (here). And if you have any questions or comments, please drop a word to our editors at editor@thechanzo.com
