In A Quest to Leash Dissent, The  Tanzania’s Journalists Accreditation Board May Have Infringed on Constitutional Rights of Freedom of Speech!

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Just imagine an average citizen who is unhappy with the delivery of service in his location, takes a pen and reduces his complaint in a letter, and dispatches it to a registered media firm for publication. Is he a writer to be registered by JAB?

Does it mean all contributors let say in the Jamiiforums or in letters to the publisher (barua za wasomaji) subject to the Tanzania Journalists Accreditation Board’s (JAB) law? Then who is a journalist? A trained journalist working for a registered media house or anybody who makes his views known in media outlets?

The journalist accreditation law is silent on this, threatening the freedom of speech rights of every person well enshrined in the constitution. Will journals that compile scientific thoughts there be cowed by this law?

 If so, Tanzania has just sent herself into a stone age. There will be no thought development because journalism essentially doesn’t needlessly cover all aspects of life, and extending to be what it isn’t defeats even the very purpose of crafting it in the first place.

Based on the official notice from Tanzania’s “Bodi ya Ithibati ya Waandishi wa Habari (JAB)” under the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports, here is a clear analysis of registration requirements for journalists in Tanzania:

Key Requirements for Journalists in Tanzania:

1. Mandatory Registration.

   – Legal Basis:

Section 19 of the “Sheria ya Huduma za Habari, Sura ya 229 (2023)” prohibits anyone from practicing journalism without JAB accreditation through the “TAI HABARI” system. 

   – Consequence:

Unregistered individuals must “immediately cease all journalistic activities” (broadcast, print, digital) until registered. 

2. Election-Specific Ban for Politically Active Journalists.

   – Journalists who declare political candidacy “must stop all journalistic work during the election period”  (October 2025 elections). 

   – Reason:

To prevent conflicts of interest (per *Kanuni ya 12(g)* of Election Broadcasting Guidelines, “Govt. Notice No. 775/2020”). 

   – Penalty:

Violators face removal from media programs and legal action. 

3. Ongoing Enforcement.

   – JAB actively monitors compliance and will: 

     – Publicly name violators.

     – Pursue legal action against unregistered practitioners or registered journalists breaching ethics. 

 Why This Matters:

– Tanzania-Specific:

 Unlike academic/journal publishing globally, Tanzania **legally mandates journalist registration** as a gatekeeping mechanism. 

– Election Context:

 Rules tighten during elections to ensure media impartiality and democratic integrity. 

– Ethical Enforcement:

JAB links registration to adherence to professional ethics (e.g., avoiding political bias). 

Comparison to Academic/Authors: 

Conclusion: 

“Yes, in Tanzania, journalists MUST be registered with JAB to work legally.” This is a unique legal requirement aimed at maintaining media ethics, especially during elections. Failure to comply results in removal from journalistic work and legal consequences. Academic writers globally face no equivalent compulsory registration. 

“Source: [Tanzania Government Notice, Wizara ya Habari, 05 Julai 2025]”

Exactly what the letter says”

“JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA.

WIZARA YA HABARI, UTAMADUNI, SANAA NA MICHEZO.

Kwa mujibu wa Kifungu cha 13(a) na (b) cha Sheria ya Huduma za Habari, Sura ya 229 (Toleo la

2023), Bodi ya Ithibati ya Waandishi wa Habari imepewa mamlaka ya kutoa ithibati kwa waandishi wa habari pamoja na kusimamia uzingatiaji wa maadili ya taaluma ya uandishi wa habari nchini Katika kutekeleza mamlaka hiyo, na hususan kuelekea Uchaguzi Mkuu wa Oktoba 2025, Bodi katika nyakati tofauti imekuwa ikiwakumbusha waandishi wa habari kuzingatia kikamilifu masharti ya Sheria, kanuni, na maadili ya taaluma ya Habari. Lengo kuu ni kuhakikisha kuwa taaluma ya habari inatoa mchango chanya katika kulinda misingi ya demokrasia, kudumisha amani, na kuimarisha haki katika jamii.

Hata hivyo, Bodi katika siku za hivi karibuni imechukua hatua kwa baadhi ya waandishi wanaofanya kazi katika vyombo vya habari, ikiwa ni pamoja na kuwaondoa walioonekana au kusikika katika vipindi mbalimbali vya redio na televisheni ambao wanavunja Sheria na kwenda kinyume na maadili ya taaluma.

 Hatua hii ilichukuliwa kwa waandishi wa habari ambao wanaendelea kufanya kazi za kihabari bila kusajiliwa na Bodi kupitia Mfumo wa TAI HABARI na wale ambao wamejisajili lakini wametangaza nía ya kugombea nafasi mbalimbali za kisiasa, huku wakiendelea kushiriki katika shughuli za kihabari, kinyume na maadili ya taaluma Kutokana na hali hiyo, Bodi inaendelea kusisitiza na kutoa maelekezo yafuatayo

Waandishi wa habari waliotangaza nia ya kugombea nafasi za kisiasa wanapaswa kusitisha

1. mara moja shughuli zote za kihabari katika kipindi chote cha mchakato wa uchaguzi. Hatua hii inalenga kuepusha mgongano wa kimaslahi, kulinda uaminifu wa vyombo vya habari na kuweka mazingira a usawa kwa wagombea wote. Kuendelea kushiriki katika shughuli za kihabari wakati wa kipindi hiki ni ukiukaji wa Kanuni ya 12(g) ya Kanuni za Utangazaji wa Uchaguzi kwa Vyama vya Sasa (Tangazo la Serikali Na. 775 la tarehe 18 Septemba, 2020.)

2. Waandishi wote wanaofanya kazi katika vyombo vyote vya habari vya kielektroniki au vya machapisho bila kusajiliwa na Bodi ya lthibati wanapaswa kuacha mara moja kufanya kazi hizo hadi watakapokamilisha usajili kupitia Mfumo wa TAI HABARI. Kuendelea kufanya kazi pasipo kusajiliwa na Bodi ni ukiukaji wa Kifungu cha 19 cha Sheria ya Huduma za Habari, Sura ya 229 (Toleo la 2023), ambacho kinakataza mtu yeyote kufanya kazi za kihabari bila kupewa ithibati.

Bodi inaendelea kufuatilia kwa karibu mwenendo wa waandishi wa habari wote nchini, na haitasita kuchukua hatua za kisheria ikiwa ni pamoja na kuwataja hadharani watakaobainika kukiuka masharti ya Sheria, Kanuni, na Maadili ya taaluma ya uandishi wa habari.

IMETOLEWA na:-

Digitally Sigond By Patick. P. K. Gpanguia

Sat Jul 05 10,51-03 E4T 3015

Patrick K ipangula

Kaimu Mkurugenzi Muu

Bodi ya Ithibati ya Waandishi wa Habari (JAB)” End of quotation.

Do academic authors need to register as writers?

No, academic authors do not need to be “registered writers” to publish in journals. Here’s a clear breakdown of how academic publishing works:

Key Requirements for Journal Authors:

1. No Formal Registration.

   There’s “no global registry or license” for academic writers. Anyone (students, researchers, professionals) can submit work if they meet the journal’s scholarly standards.

2. Credentials ≠ Registration.

   While authors list their “affiliations” (university, institute) and “qualifications” (Ph.D., M.Sc.), these establish expertise, not “registration.” A groundbreaking study by an unaffiliated researcher can still be published.

3. Journal-Specific Criteria.

   Journals may require:

   – Ethical compliance (e.g., ethics board approval for human/animal studies).

   – Disclosure of conflicts of interest.

   – ORCID ID (an “optional” researcher identifier, not a license).

4. Peer Review is the Gatekeeper. 

   Submissions are judged on “quality, originality, and methodology”—not author credentials. Peer reviewers often evaluate anonymously (“blind review“).

Exceptions & Nuances:

– Predatory Journals:

May falsely claim “registration” or “certification” to extract fees. Legitimate journals never require payment for publication.

– Disciplinary Differences: 

  – Medical/clinical journals:

May require proof of institutional review board (IRB) approval. 

  – Legal journals: Often accept practitioners without academic posts. 

– Country-Specific Rules: 

  Some nations require government IDs for correspondence (e.g., China), but this isn’t “writer registration.”

What Journals *Actually* Verify:

Bottom Line:

Academic publishing thrives on “meritocracy”, not bureaucracy. Focus on rigorous research—not “registration.” If a journal demands fees for “certification,” it’s likely predatory. Legitimate journals only evaluate your work’s substance.