Zanzibar Minister promises to work on proposals on new information laws 
The new Zanzibar minister for information, tourism, culture and sports, Said Ali Mbarouk, has pledged to work
on the proposals for new information legislations put forward by media stakeholders from September this year.
“The proposals would not stay unattended”, the Minister said at the offices of the Media Council of Tanzania in Zanzibar on May 29, 2012 and emphasised that the ministry would work on the proposals.
Media stakeholders in Zanzibar had forwarded two proposals for new information legislations – one on new media services legislation and the other on right to information.
The government has been procrastinating on acting on the proposals for some time now.
Two previous information ministers had handled the issue of the new legislations on information and promised to facilitate their enactment but todate the proposals are still on “process”.
Minister Mbarouk told the staff MCT staff in Zanzibar that he was closely evaluating the issue.
He also said he values greatly MCT’s contribution in raising the professional capacity of media practitioners through training.
He said his ministry also supports the activities undertaken by the Council and promised to work for the improvement of the working environment of media practitioners in the Isles.
The minister was accompanied during the visit at the MCT offices by the Deputy Minister for Information, Bihindi Hamad, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ally Mwinyikai and Planning Director, Joseph Kilangi.
Members of the Zanzibar Press Club were also present during the visit.
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