Having assumed the highest leadership position in the country on March 19, 2021, President Samia Suluhu Hassan carried an agenda of press freedom on her shoulders.
It would be recalled that on January 4th this year, President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan went a step ahead by lifting the almost six-year ban on political rallies and meetings outside of election periods.
Analysts consider lifting the ban as an important step towards restoring some civic and political rights and increasing freedom of expression which is in conjunction with media freedom.
Speaking during an interview with the London-based newspaper -the Guardian, Mr Kajubi Mukajanga, who is the Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), described the state of press freedom in Tanzania to be garnering great hope, noting that the Ministry of Information Communications and Information Technology is re-engaging stakeholders after years of challenges.
President Samia's move to assure that Tanzanians continue to enjoy the freedom of expression has been welcomed by local and international stakeholders.
Her bold move to embrace freedom of expression has led to a 10.2 per cent growth in the media and news industry, while promoting transparency. This move is coupled with allowing young people to earn income through online news sharing.
CCM Secretary General, Daniel Chongolo, noted that President Samia has also emerged as a comforter in chief, using media to reach the wider public in times of tragedies. He described the second year of her tenure as the period of great success.
President Samia also won accolades for promoting and championing human rights in the county as she completes two years in office as the first female head of State.
The praises were showered by the Tanzania Human rights Defenders Coalition (THRDS) in a press conference held recently in Dar es Salaam.
"President Samia has been personally positively championing for human rights in her speeches, including inviting for talks Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in case they are not satisfied with various issues related to human rights," Said an Advocate from THRDC Paul Kisabo.
According to Kisabo, engaging politicians from opposition parties and allowing for political activities to be carried on countrywide is something that needs to be commended.
He said that allowing political gatherings to be held promotes freedom of expression. He said President Samia must also be commended for her decision to crate favourable environment for the media to operate.
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"There is good relationship between human right activists, journalists, media houses, and the government. President Samia has reopened some NGO bank accounts and released most of the jailed political prisoners and clerics. This is a huge milestone and THRDC wishes to commend it," he insisted.
Mr Kisabo said the Head of State attended the commemoration of 10 years since the establishment of THRDC last year and called for the intensification of advocating for human rights activities in the country.
Tanzania is doing well in promoting freedom of expression, with 75 per cent of media outlets being privately owned. By May last year, Tanzania had a total of 257 newspapers, 197 radio stations, 50 television stations, 452 online TV stations, and 122 blogs.
President Samia has also provided enough space for freedom of association, assuring that the government will maintain the pace. In April 2021, while swearing in some cabinet members in a minor reshuffle, President Samia stressed that leaders are required to tackle people's challenges at the local level but should not prevent them from expressing their views.
The Tanzania Editors' Forum (TEF) has also welcomed the President's decision to lift ban imposed on some media outlets, including creating favourable environment for media to operate, describing it as a step towards the restoration of press freedom in the country.
President Samia, who follows various issues in social media and mainstream media, has been calling upon leaders to take necessary actions whenever issues that need government attention are reported.
