Will Tanzania’s Journalists Accreditation Board Empower or Control the Media?

By Adonis Byemelwa

The recent launch of the Journalists Accreditation Board in Tanzania has sparked both hope and skepticism within the media community. The launch, which took place on March 3, 2025, in a grand event at Johari Rotana in Dar es Salaam, has been hailed by officials as a turning point for the country's journalism industry.

The Minister of Culture, Arts, and Sports, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi, referred to the creation of the board as a significant milestone in elevating professionalism, ethics, and integrity within the media.

Yet, behind this official optimism, the question remains: Will the Journalists Accreditation Board truly address the crisis facing journalists in Tanzania, or is it just another government attempt to assert control over the media?

To understand the potential of the board, it’s necessary to first appreciate the current state of journalism in Tanzania. Journalists in the country have long operated in an environment of fear and uncertainty.

Over the past decade, the government, under President John Magufuli, introduced a slew of laws and regulations that have increasingly tightened its grip on the media.

These measures have been justified on the grounds of maintaining national security and promoting public interest, but critics argue they are part of a broader strategy to suppress dissent and control the narrative.

In 2016, the Media Services Act was introduced, centralising power over the media in the hands of the government. The Act gave the Minister of Information significant control over media licensing and allowed the government to restrict content deemed contrary to the public interest.

While the Act was touted as a tool to professionalise the media, many saw it as a method of stifling press freedom. The government’s tendency to wield this legislation against critical voices has led to the closure of media outlets, the banning of newspapers, and the suspension of journalists.

In this context, the launch of the Journalists Accreditation Board could be seen as either a positive development or just another step in the government’s broader strategy to manage and control the media landscape.

One of the key aims of the board is to promote professionalism, accuracy, and ethical standards in journalism. The board is tasked with accrediting journalists, providing training, and creating a comprehensive database of journalists working in Tanzania.

Its establishment is seen as an effort to give the profession the respect and recognition it deserves, akin to other regulated professions like medicine and law.

For many journalists, this sounds like a welcome change. Tido Mhando, a veteran journalist and the board’s chairman, has long been an advocate for improving the standards of journalism in Tanzania.

He believes the board will play a crucial role in ensuring that journalists adhere to ethical standards and that they are recognised for their work. “It is an honour to witness this significant milestone,” he said at the launch event. “This will uplift the journalism profession and fortify its contribution to national development.”

Many remain cautiously optimistic about the board's potential to make a real difference in the broader context of Tanzania's journalistic challenges. Dr. Egbert Mkoko, a member of the accreditation board and a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, is one of those cautiously hopeful.

While he acknowledges that the initiative might seem like a step toward progress, he sees its real significance in creating a platform that encourages higher professional standards for journalists.
The board’s potential to improve the situation is also undermined by the ongoing restrictions on the freedom of the press.

Since taking office, former President Magufuli’s government expanded the definition of "offense" to encompass almost anything contrary to his personal views on politics, economics, and even the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under this government, journalists found themselves increasingly at risk of harassment and imprisonment for reporting on topics that go against the official narrative. In 2019, three web TV stations and a major daily newspaper were arbitrarily banned, while several media outlets have faced threats of closure.

The government’s approach created an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship within the media. In this environment, many journalists have had to choose between reporting the truth and keeping their jobs. Some have even had to adjust their reporting to fit the government's narrative, toning down their coverage of sensitive issues or avoiding them altogether.

For journalists operating in this climate, the introduction of the Journalists Accreditation Board might feel like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it offers a chance for greater professionalism, a chance for journalists to be recognised as legitimate professionals, and for the media to be seen as playing a central role in national development.

On the other hand, it might place journalists under further scrutiny, as the government would have more oversight over who is deemed worthy of accreditation and who is not. The question then becomes: Will the board be an empowering force for journalists, or will it simply tighten the government’s grip on the media?

Another significant challenge is the economic plight of journalists in Tanzania. The media sector has been in crisis for some time, and many journalists are underpaid, overworked, and forced to contend with the instability of their employment.

With limited job security, many journalists are unable to dedicate themselves fully to investigative journalism, as the pressure to produce content quickly often trumps the need for accuracy and depth. Some journalists are even forced to rely on freelance work, which leaves them vulnerable to exploitation by media outlets that pay poorly or irregularly.

In an interview on UTV’s analysis programme, Dr. Mkoko expressed his concern about the economic conditions facing journalists. He pointed out that while the board aims to improve the standards of journalism, it is not enough to simply regulate accreditation.

“I wish the media sector were treated with the same respect as other professions like engineering or medicine,” he said. “Journalists should be treated as professionals, but their pay and working conditions need to be addressed as well.”

Deodatus Balile, the Chairman of the Forum of Editors in Tanzania, echoed this sentiment. He emphasised the importance of recognising the economic difficulties journalists face and argued that the government needs to do more to support the industry.

“There needs to be a serious conversation about how to improve the economic conditions of journalists,” he said. “Journalists are crucial to the functioning of democracy, and their working conditions should reflect that.”

As the government continues to tighten its grip on the media, it remains to be seen whether the Journalists Accreditation Board will be able to make a meaningful difference. There is no doubt that the board has the potential to professionalize the industry and raise the standards of journalism in Tanzania. Nevertheless, more needs to be done to address the underlying issues, such as press freedom, job insecurity, and the political climate.

Ultimately, the success of the Journalists Accreditation Board will depend on how it is implemented and how much independence it can maintain from the government. Journalists need to be able to trust that the board will not be used as a tool for government control but as a genuine effort to raise the profile of the profession.
Until then, the media in Tanzania will continue to operate in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, with journalists caught between their desire to report the truth and the pressure to conform to the government’s narrative.

In the words of Gerson Msigwa, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports, “The media is a critical pillar in the nation’s development.” Whether the Journalists Accreditation Board will help strengthen this pillar or whether it will further erode journalists' ability to do their work freely and independently remains to be seen.