Tanzania: Media Council poised to monitor 2010 election campaign

The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), has started working on modalities on media monitoring before the forthcoming General Election in October.

The monitoring team will involve journalists from several media houses who will be posted at selected places countrywide.

Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, MCT executive director Kajubi Mukajanga, said as the country heads towards General Election, the media regulator has the right to monitor stories published or broadcast early enough.

Mr Mukajanga said the idea is to monitor campaign and actual polling to make sure irregularities are spotted on time and involved media house notified.

"We shall be issuing weekly reports on the election monitoring to editors �.as we approach election time, political fever rises�," Mr Mukajanga said.

Adding that they will be looking at language used by a particular media, balancing the article and for radios and television stations, they will ensure all aspirants get equal air time during campaign.

The MCT chief said currently, they are working on soliciting funds from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for that purpose.

He said after the stakeholders meeting held in Tanga recently, they proposed that the government should also inject some funds to empower media houses to work effectively during the election campaign.

However, Mr Mukajanga said while the country is preparing for the General Election, it's important for media to declare their interests and relations with certain political parties or aspirants.

"It will be good for the readers and the general public to know which side of a particular media house, as done by Uhuru publications and Radio, which are aligned to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi,"he said.

- February 27, 2010 by Mkinga Mkinga

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Source: www.thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php (accessed on 01.03.2010)