Concern over provision to block media

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Presenting the committee’s legal analysis on the matter yesterday, a member of Draft Standing Orders committee, Dr Tulia Ackson said it was true section 18 of the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania gives right to seek, disseminate and receive information.

 The Constituent Assembly has set a stage which will see media barred from attending committee meetings, if the agreement they reached during a workshop on draft regulations is adopted by the Assembly later next week.

This would deny many people opportunity to directly observe what the CA members discuss when they go through the draft constitution. This is because according to agreed mode of working, it is the committees which will discuss various provisions of the draft constitution before a report from the committee meetings are tabled in the plenary session.

Spirited efforts by some of the members failed to convince others from an agreement that media should be blocked from attending committee sessions and only the chairman or another members of the committee, upon approval from the chairman, might release a report on what was agreed during the session to the media.

On Wednesday, Mr Ezekial Olouch raised an objection noting that blocking the media from committee meetings amounted to breach of the constitution which guarantee a right to any Tanzania to seek, obtain and disseminate information without hindrances.

Mr Pandu Ameir Kificho, the Constituent Assembly interim chairman, was formed to give the committee which refined the standing orders time to find if the section of the proposed regulations was unconstitutional.

Mr Ezekiel Oluoch (represent Trade Unions) told the CA that denying Journalists an opportunity to attend CA Committee’s meetings was violating section 18 of the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Mr Oluoch said there was no way Journalists could be locked outside the CA committee’s meeting room because they were aiming at informing the public on the formation of the new constitution.

Basing on legal aspect, Mr Kificho asked the Standing Orders Committee to analyse the matter and give a legal stand before the CA.

Presenting the committee’s legal analysis on the matter yesterday, a member of Draft Standing Orders committee, Dr Tulia Ackson said it was true section 18 of the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania gives right to seek, disseminate and receive information.

However, Dr Ackson added that section 29 (5) of the same constitution states that in order for wananchi to benefit from freedom of expression, they must be given opportunity to work freely and there should be no interference on issues related to nation interest.

According to Dr Ackson, freedom of expression and opinion has limitations. She said whoever gives opinion must follow the law.

She said for CA committees, the Standing Orders have already identified that the information would be released by the committee chairperson.