President Samia says Tanzania needs to re-evaluate its position on #Covid-19 as orders lift on media ban

Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan ( has announced plans to set up a task force of experts to examine the country’s #Covid-19 measures.

She said the team will be guided by remedies suggested by the global health authorities to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Suluhu spoke at State House in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday after administering the oaths of new and reshuffled permanent secretaries and deputies.

She added: We cannot isolate ourselves as if we are an Island but also we cannot accept everything brought to us, we cannot continue just reading about #Covid 19 Worldwide, yet Tanzania is all blank, it is incomprehensible

According to her, Tanzania needs to have a clear and understandable position regarding the pandemic so that it can make informed decisions.

Meanwhile President Samia has today also ordered authorities at the Information Ministry to lift a ban on some media outlets in a statement that could define her as a democratic leader who has nothing against freedom of expression.

“I am told you revoked licenses of some media outlets, including some online television stations. You should lift the ban but tell them to follow the law and government guidelines,” she said at the same function.

She added “But make sure that whoever is given a go ahead to operate a media company does follow the law of the country,”. “You must not ban just because you have the power to do so…Lift the bans but make sure they follow the government’s regulations and guidelines,” she said.

Tanzania has a number of laws that are deemed repressive by media practitioners that have seen a rise in authorities’ ban on newspapers during the past few years.

For instance, the Media Services Act of 2016 gives officials powers to shut down media organizations that violate their licenses by confiscating printing machines.

President Samia’s stance is a complete shift from that of her predecessor, the late John Magufuli, who is on record as having publicly warned newspapers in 2017.