CPJ MEDIA EXPERTS ARREST IN TANZANIA: VIOLATION OF THE TZ IMMIGRATION LAW

Mumo left and Maria: it was not clear what secret mission they had by concealing their actual purpose of visiting the EAC country, Tanzania.

The Tanzanian Immigration and Media Authorities have finally resolved the day long crisis following allegations that CPJ media experts were illegally arrested and have their passports confiscated. A number of media outlets globally burst into action demanding an immediate release of the two.

However, hours later, it has now come into limelight that the media experts, Kenyan Mumo Muthoki and South African Angela Maria Quital had violated a number of Tanzanian laws prompting the temporary arrest. The two confessed their mistakes and apologized.

A statement from the country’s Immigration Department, said the two were granted “holiday visit” visa upon entry in Dar es Salaam. The visa category does not allow one to engage into any work activities, let alone media practice, that require additional separate press card process.

Sources in Tanzania confirmed that the two however instead of enjoying their “holiday” in Tanzania as per their own visa request, turned to engage themselves into media advocacy work.

“They interviewed a number of us at the Southern Sun Hotel on press issues and they also met with many other media practitioners in Tanzania,” confessed Deodatus Balile, Chairman of the Tanzanian Editors Forum (TEF).

The Tanzanian famous social media platform, JamiiForum, posted another  revelation that the CPJ media officials, on top of the media interviews, they went ahead to interview several local politicians, something that casts further doubts on the actual purpose of visiting Tanzania.

Tanzanian Chief Spokesperson through his twitter handle “TZSpokesperson” confirmed that the two were finally set free with their passports back and were allowed to enjoy their holiday if they so wished. They were, however, barred from engaging into any work unless they follow appropriate legal procedures emphasizing compliance with the laws. The tweet reads in part:

“It should be known that they violated immigration as well as press laws. Journalists must take the lead in compliance to rule of law.”

Apart from the Immigration laws, the CPJ practitioners also violated section 19 of the Tanzanian Media Services Law, of 2015 which makes it mandatory for foreign journalists who enter Tanzania for short assignments to have a 90 days temporary press card.

“This event is a lesson to media practitioners that as proponents of rule of law, they are also bound to lead by example, which is, comply with the laws,” said a member of the Kenyan Editors Guild.

 

JH-Corespondent