RUCCI
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 6, 2011
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President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday insisted that he will give his assent to the two media highly contested bills before his term of office ends.
He said the bills, Media Services and Access to Information, are expected to be tabled in the National Assembly for the second time before becoming law.
President Kikwete made the remark in Dar es Salaam yesterday at the official opening of a two - day meeting on the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Africa.
Themed Enhancing Accountability Through Open Government the meeting was attended by over 300 participants from Africa and other countries.
President Kikwete was explaining on how he had promoted democracy and transparency in the country through OGP saying among them is press freedom where by many media houses were privately owned.
"I hope these media bills will be tabled in the ongoing session of the National Assembly and they will be the last bills to assent to law in my ten years leadership."
Commenting on the Statistics and Cybercrime bills which the President had already assented into laws he pointed out that he had already passed into laws. He said the laws had raised complaints from civil organisations, politicians and development partners.
He said people with views should submit them to the relevant authorities instead of just complaining.
"I believe in reconciliation, if there are people with genuine views should take them to the relevant authorities instead putting pressure to the government," he said.
President Kikwete further said that the government was not working under threats of some development partners who threatent to withdraw funds.
He however said that he will look into the possibilities of meeting with civil organisations before his tenure in office ends to listen to them and how to resolve some complaints raised against the government.
Twaweza Executive Director Aidan Eyakuze called upon the government to revisit recent legislation on Statistics, Cyber crime, Access to Information and Media Services to ensure that room for open public debate was strongly protected.
Twaweza boss also called upon the civil organisations and network in Africa OGP to broaden and deepen awareness and claim their legitimate space in decision making at the national, regional and global level.
The Minister of State in the President's Office for Good Governance, George Mkuchika said during the implementation of OGP initiative in first phase the government improved access to information.
He said through the OPG the government and its departments had open website whereby the public can access information and government expenditures.
In March this year the government announced to table the media bills on March 27 under certificate of agency but they weren't and instead the national assembly released another timetable.
However, the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) Executive Secretary, Kajubi Mukajanga sent a team of nine people from different organisations to the National Assembly to argue the case for the bills not to be rushed but rather, for stakeholders to have the opportunity to learn the details of the bills and to share their opinion.
Among others, the team comprised of members from the Coalition on the Right to Information which included eleven organisations namely, Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT), SIKIKA, TEF and MISA TAN.
Earlier April the government resolved to table the Media Services Bill and the Access to Information Bill under normal procedures, this means that the bills will now be discussed by the House before been enacted into law.
Early this week human rights activists in Tanzania said they would seek intervention in the court to examine and adjudicate on the legality and constitutionality of two laws should President Jakaya Kikwete sign them.
The hotly contested laws are the Cybercrimes Act 2015 and the Statistics Act 2013.
According to the statement availed to The Guardian by Sikika Executive Director, Irene Kiria the act by President to assent into law the two legislations is violation of a right.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
He said the bills, Media Services and Access to Information, are expected to be tabled in the National Assembly for the second time before becoming law.
President Kikwete made the remark in Dar es Salaam yesterday at the official opening of a two - day meeting on the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Africa.
Themed Enhancing Accountability Through Open Government the meeting was attended by over 300 participants from Africa and other countries.
President Kikwete was explaining on how he had promoted democracy and transparency in the country through OGP saying among them is press freedom where by many media houses were privately owned.
"I hope these media bills will be tabled in the ongoing session of the National Assembly and they will be the last bills to assent to law in my ten years leadership."
Commenting on the Statistics and Cybercrime bills which the President had already assented into laws he pointed out that he had already passed into laws. He said the laws had raised complaints from civil organisations, politicians and development partners.
He said people with views should submit them to the relevant authorities instead of just complaining.
"I believe in reconciliation, if there are people with genuine views should take them to the relevant authorities instead putting pressure to the government," he said.
President Kikwete further said that the government was not working under threats of some development partners who threatent to withdraw funds.
He however said that he will look into the possibilities of meeting with civil organisations before his tenure in office ends to listen to them and how to resolve some complaints raised against the government.
Twaweza Executive Director Aidan Eyakuze called upon the government to revisit recent legislation on Statistics, Cyber crime, Access to Information and Media Services to ensure that room for open public debate was strongly protected.
Twaweza boss also called upon the civil organisations and network in Africa OGP to broaden and deepen awareness and claim their legitimate space in decision making at the national, regional and global level.
The Minister of State in the President's Office for Good Governance, George Mkuchika said during the implementation of OGP initiative in first phase the government improved access to information.
He said through the OPG the government and its departments had open website whereby the public can access information and government expenditures.
In March this year the government announced to table the media bills on March 27 under certificate of agency but they weren't and instead the national assembly released another timetable.
However, the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) Executive Secretary, Kajubi Mukajanga sent a team of nine people from different organisations to the National Assembly to argue the case for the bills not to be rushed but rather, for stakeholders to have the opportunity to learn the details of the bills and to share their opinion.
Among others, the team comprised of members from the Coalition on the Right to Information which included eleven organisations namely, Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT), SIKIKA, TEF and MISA TAN.
Earlier April the government resolved to table the Media Services Bill and the Access to Information Bill under normal procedures, this means that the bills will now be discussed by the House before been enacted into law.
Early this week human rights activists in Tanzania said they would seek intervention in the court to examine and adjudicate on the legality and constitutionality of two laws should President Jakaya Kikwete sign them.
The hotly contested laws are the Cybercrimes Act 2015 and the Statistics Act 2013.
According to the statement availed to The Guardian by Sikika Executive Director, Irene Kiria the act by President to assent into law the two legislations is violation of a right.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN