Kamati ya Wataalamu wa masuala ya habari Zanzibar (ZAMECO) inapenda
kuwashukuru wadau wote wa habari na mashirika ya utetezi wa haki za
binaadamu kwa kushiriki katika maadhimisho ya siku ya Uhuru wa Vyombo
vya Habari duniani tarehe 3 Mei ambapo kwa Zanzibar yalifanyika tarehe
23/5/2024 katika ukumbi wa ZSSF Kariakoo, mkoa wa Mjini Magharibi.

Katika maadhimisho hayo washirika wa habari walishiriki kikamilifu na
kuchangia katika kongamano maalum lenye kuakisi kauli mbiu ya
maadhimisho hayo kwa upande wa Zanzibar ambayo ni “Uhuru wa Vyombo
vya Habari na Mageuzi ya Sera na Sheria za Habari”.
Mkutano huo umetoka na maazimio kadhaa ikiwemo kufuatilia kwa karibu
sheria mpya za habari ambazo zina mapungufu yanaoathiri ukusanyaji na
upokeaji wa habari na hivyo kuzorotesha kasi ya ustawi wa demokrasia na
maendeleo ya kiuchumi na ya kijamii nchini.
Viongozi wa mashirika hayo pamoja na waandishi wa habari kwa ujumla
awali walisema wamewasilisha marekebisho takriban miongo miwili sasa juu
ya sheria hizo pamoja na mabadiliko makubwa yaliyotokea nchini na duniani
ambapo nchi sasa hivi inafuata uchumi huria na kubarikiwa na wingi wa
mitandao ya kijamii. Sheria hizo kuu ambazo ni Sheria ya usajili wa wakala
wa habari, magazeti na vitabu namba 5 ya mwaka 1988 iliyofanyiwa
marekebisho na sheria No.8 ya 1997, Sheria ya Tume ya Utangazaji
Zanzibar namba 7 ya mwaka 1997 iliyorekebishwa na sheria namba 1 ya
mwaka 2010.
Katika majadiliano hayo wadau walihoji kuwa kwanini baadhi ya sheria
huchukua muda mfupi kufanyiwa marekebisho ili kwenda na wakati, lakini
hii ya habari imekuwa kila siku ni ya kutolewa ahadi zisizotimizwa.
Pia wadau walieleza kuwa sheria hizo hazitoi ulinzi kwa waandishi na
vyombo vya habari dhidi ya wadau mbali mbali wanaokerwa na taarifa zao
ikiwemo Serikali na watu binafsi wakati wanapotekeleza kazi zao nichangamoto inayosababisha kufanya kazi kwa woga na hata kuacha
kuandika habari za malamiko ya wana jamii na habari za uchunguzi.
Sheria pia hazilazimishi kupatikana taarifa kwa wakati na mara nyengine
waandishi wa habari kuwekewa vizingiti na kulazimishwa kutuma maswali
kwa taasisi husika kabla ya mahojiano ambapo ni desturi hata hayo maswali
kutojibiwa kwa wakati.
Hapa ikumbukwe Rais wa Zanzibar na Menyekiti wa Baraza la Mapinduzi
aliwataka watendaji wa serikali na taasisi zake washirikiane na vyombo vya
habari na wafanye kazi kwa uwazi, lakini wapo viongozi ambao hawataki
kuwahivyo.
Pia kodi zinazotozwa vituo vya redio jamii ambazo kimsingi ni vyombo vya
habari vya kutoa huduma zaidi na sio biashara.
Mengine ni pamoja na ubaguzi wa kupewa taarifa kwa baadhi ya waandishi
wa vyombo vya habari binafsi ikiwa ni pamoja na kuwekewa masharti
magumu wakati wa kuripoti harakati za uchaguzi.
Baada ya majadiliano ya kina wadau wa habari na washirika wengine
walifikia maazimio yafuatayo:
 Kuandaa ripoti ya kongamano la maadhimisho ya siku ya uhuru wa
vyombo vya habari na kuiwasilisha Tume ya Utangazaji na kwa
Waziri wa Habari, Vijana, Utamaduni na Michezo kwa hatua zaidi.
 Kuandaa ripoti ya mazingira ya habari ya mwaka kwa pamoja ili
kutoa picha halisi ya mwenendo wa habari nchini.
 Kukaribisha wadau na wafadhili kusaidia mikutano hiyo ya
waandishi kwa vile maadhimisho haya yamefanywa kwa mashirika
yenyewe kujitolea pasipo na mfadhili maalum.
 Kufuatilia maslahi ya waandishi na kuandaa utaratibu wa kuwasaidia
kupatiwa haki zao ikiwemo mikataba, maposho stahiki pamoja na
kuangaliwa au kuandaliwa mishahara stahili inayoendana/
kulingana na maisha ya sasa kwa waandishi wote (vyombo vya
serikali na binafsi).
 Kuzifuatilia redio jamii zaidi na kuangalia ni kwa namna gani
zinaweza kusaidia kukua baadala ya kufa na hivyo watu wa vijijini
kukosa chombo cha kuwapa habari za masuala yanayowazunguka
na elimu. Serikali iziangalie zaidi redio jamii kwa kuzisaidia angalau kwa
asilimia ndogo katika uwendeshaji wake kwa vile vina umuhimu
mkubwa katika maendeleo ya Zanzibar na watu wake.
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PRESS RELEASE
The Zanzibar Media Committee (ZAMECO) extends its gratitude to all media
stakeholders and human rights organizations for participating in the
celebration of World Press Freedom Day on May 23, 2024, at the Zanzibar
Social Security Fund (ZSSF) Hall in Kariakoo, Urban West region.
During the celebration, media stakeholders actively participated and
contributed to a special symposium reflecting the theme of the event for
Zanzibar, “Media Freedom and Reforms in Media Policies and Laws.”
The meeting was concluded with several resolutions, including closely
monitoring new media laws that have shortcomings affecting the collection
and receiving of information, thereby hindering the meaningful pace of
democratic, economic, and social development in the country.
Leaders of these organizations, along with journalists, initially stated that
they have been submitting amendments for nearly two decades regarding
these laws, despite significant changes occurring in the country and the
world, where the country now follows a liberal economy and the enhanced
social media platforms. The main laws include the Registration of News
Agents, Newspapers, and Books Act No. 5 of 1988, amended by Act No. 8 of
1997, and the Zanzibar Broadcasting Commission Act No. 7 of 1997,
amended by Act No. 1 of 2010.
In these discussions, stakeholders questioned why some laws are amended
quickly to keep up with the times, but media laws have been subject to
unfulfilled promises. Stakeholders also expressed that these laws do not
provide protection for journalists and media outlets against various
stakeholders who may be displeased with their reports, including the
government and individuals, while they perform their duties. This challenge
causes journalists to work in fear or even stop writing about community
complaints and investigative stories.The laws also do not mandate timely access to information, and journalists
often face obstacles and are forced to submit questions to relevant
institutions before interviews, a practice where these questions are often
not answered promptly.
It should be remembered that the President of Zanzibar and Chairman of
the Revolutionary Council urged government officials and institutions to
cooperate with the media and work transparently. However, some leaders
are unwilling to do so.
Additionally, the taxes imposed on community radio stations, which are
primarily service-oriented and not commercial, were discussed. Other issues
include discrimination in providing information to journalists from private
media outlets, including imposing difficult conditions when reporting on
election activities.
After detailed discussions, media stakeholders and other partners reached
the following resolutions:

1. Prepare a report on the symposium celebrating World Press Freedom Day
   and submit it to the Broadcasting Commission and the Minister of
   Information, Youth, Culture, and Sports for further action.
2. Prepare an annual media environment report together to provide a clear
   picture of the state of the media in the country.
3. Invite stakeholders and donors to support these journalists’ meetings, as
   these celebrations were conducted by the organizations themselves without
   a specific sponsor.
4. Follow up on journalists’ welfare and create a system to help them obtain
   their rights, including contracts, appropriate allowances, and proper salaries
   that match the current cost of living for all journalists (both in government
   and private media).
5. Monitor community radio stations more closely to see how they can help
   them grow instead of dying, so that rural people do not lose a medium that
   provides them with information and education on surrounding issues.
6. The government should support community radio stations by at least a
   small percentage in their operations, as they play a significant role in the
   development of Zanzibar and its people.END