Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Thursday, July 04, 2024
EIB Vice President: ‘EU wants honest partnerships with Africa, not to take over things’
Thomas Östros, the Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union (EU) is in Tanzania for engagements with the government and the private sector.
EIB relations with Tanzania date back to 1977, when they funded road construction, water infrastructure, and the energy sector. Mr Östros agreed to sit down with The Chanzo for a brief interview to expound further on his visit to Tanzania and his bank’s plans to strengthen partnerships with the country and the African continent.
Responding to the question about loan conditionalities, the EIB VP says the Bank aims to build honest partnerships with African countries:
“We are also honest brokers. We want to have an honest partnership, and we are not here to take over things; we are here to be partners. Not every country and not every bank acts like this, but that is how we do from the European Union.”
Watch or read the transcript of the full interview here
24-year-old Mbeya man sentenced to two years in prison for burning president’s picture
Shadrack Yusufu Chaula, a 24-year-old artist who recorded himself burning President Samia’s picture on June 30, 2024, and shared the same on social media was sentenced to two years in prison or a fine of five million shillings.
Chaula, a resident of Ntokela Village Rungwe District, Mbeya, said he was burning the President’s picture because it was an order from God.
“You have failed to defend your nation from homosexuality. So, for you to know my God is greater, the God who has sent me to do this job, I will tell you even where I live. I live in Rungwe District, Ntokela village this is an order from God,” said Chaula before setting the president’s picture ablaze.
While there is no specific legal provision against burning the pictures of leaders, Chaula was sentenced using the Cybercrimes Act 2015 for publishing false information with the intent to defame, threaten, abuse, or insult.
Chaula’s sentencing comes following an order from the Mbeya Regional Commissioner Juma Homera who ordered on July 02, 2024, Chaula to be arrested within 24 hours, on July 4, 2024, Chaula appeared before the Rungwe District Court where he pleaded guilty, and he was taken to start his sentence as he had failed to pay the fine.
Report: The media environment has improved, but laws remains a challenge
The Media Council of Tanzania has launched its State of the Media report which shows there is a positive trajectory in the media, however, the report cautions that the legal framework has not seen a significant change and repressive legal provisions remain.
“The state of the media or the working environment in the media has improved since President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office. And this improvement is evident both online and offline. However, laws that restrict freedom of expression and freedom of the press still exist and this has not been resolved, despite the minor amendments made last year in the Media Services Act,” said Kajubi Mukajanga one of the editors of the report
The report also highlighted some of the major topics in 2023 and the participation of the media, it underscored in major public discussions like the DP World port contract and the Ngorongoro eviction saga media did not do its investigation. But also access to key information to enhance media reporting was lacking.
The report highlights how digital media has brought a challenge in the media sector, especially on how people receive information but it cautions on the rise of citizen journalism, individuals who have not received adequate media training but act like media houses. This has led to several challenges, especially around media ethics.
The report also underscores that many graduates finish colleges and universities but lack important skills for the media sector. It was noted that many students with field experience and appropriate skills in most cases finish their studies with lower score marks than their colleagues who lack experience.
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
