Tanzania Country Profile
Private Anti-Corruption Initiatives
Media: According to the Reporters Without Borders 2012 report, Tanzania is one of Africa's top 10 respecters of media freedom. The local media are very diverse and include quality newspapers. But, according to the report, fairly strict laws can lead to censorship. Also, there have been reported some instances of harassment towards journalists investigating sensitive subjects, such as corruption and abuse of power. Furthermore, it has been revealed that some journalists accept bribes in order to either publish or ignore certain information. MPs reportedly offer bribes to reporters so that they can publish good stories about the MPs' activities (known as 'check book' or 'envelope journalism'). President Kikwete has encouraged the media to report on corruption and abuse of power, and there are reports on improved independent and balanced media coverage. The government exerts influence via state newspapers, radio and television stations. The legislative framework still contains acts that have been used to curb media freedom by invoking 'national security concerns'. According to Freedom House 2011, the media report widely on corruption and play an important role in the fight against corruption. During the Central Bank and public procurement scandals, which led to the firing of the Central Bank's governor and resignation of the Prime Minister, the media have been accredited for their persistent coverage of the stories, which is said to have pressured the government to establish the parliamentary committee that is investigating the scandals. According to Afrobarometer 2008, 79% of the surveyed households agree with the statement that the media should constantly investigate and report on corruption and government mistakes. Reporters Without Borders 2012 ranks Tanzania 41st out of 178 countries, while Freedom House 2011 ranks Tanzania 96th out of 196 countries and describes its press environment as 'partly free'.
Civil Society: Opposition voices in the party system and civil society have traditionally been very weak in Tanzania. All basic civil liberties, such as freedom of speech, association and religion, are guaranteed in the constitution, but there are frequent reports on violations of these civil rights by state authorities. Civil society has gradually consolidated itself since the democratisation process which started in the early 1990s. However, civil society organisations are still politically weak, fragmented and often ignored by political leaders. According to Global Integrity 2010, it is not uncommon for the Tanzanian government to make attempts to restrict media coverage of corruption-related issues through unofficial means, such as restricting access by disfavoured media outlets. In addition, according to the report, the government may occasionally censor material prior to its publication, especially politically sensitive or damaging corruption-related material. Nevertheless, the report assesses that, overall, it is safe for journalists in Tanzania to report on corruption.
- Tanzania Corruption Tracker System: The Anti Corruption Tracker System is hosted by the Tanzanian NGO, Agenda Participation 2000, which works to promote a culture of good governance and democracy in Tanzania. The purpose of the Anti Corruption Tracker System (CTS) is to keep track record of publicly available information on presumed or confirmed cases of corruption in order to increase accountability and responsiveness in the fight against corruption
Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA): REPOA is a non-profit NGO that conducts research, coordinates training and promotes dialogue on poverty reduction and governance issues, including corruption. The organisation also conducts workshops and training seminars. REPOA is also publishing research studies and articles on good governance and corruption. The most notable publications are an April 2008 study on regional perceptions on corruption in Tanzania, a July 2008 study on corruption in local taxation systems and a September 2009 study on citizens' changing views on taxation systems.
African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC): APNAC is a leading all-party parliamentary anti-corruption network in Africa. Its main work is to promote good governance and to strengthen parliamentary capacity to fight corruption. It has a local chapter in Tanzania, where TI-Tanzania is the official Secretariat of APNAC-TZ. APNAC-TZ has carried out various activities in Tanzania, including investigation of corruption scandals in different government parastatals, and reported the findings to the Parliament, as well as given recommendations on amendments of Parliament's Standing Orders. The national chapter has also helped to get Tanzania to ratify the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.
Policy Forum: Policy Forum is a network of NGO's working to increase civil society's influence on policy making, focusing on three main areas: Local Governance, Public Money and Active Citizen's Voice. Policy Forum organises workshops, give comments on proposed legislation and has issued a number of reports on subjects such as transparency in local governance, oversight of revenues from extractive industries and budget analysis.
Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC): LHRC is an NGO that promotes human rights, conducts awareness-raising and provides legal assistance through a number of legal aid clinics. LHRC has set up watch panels monitoring the performance and accountability of the government, the parliament and the judiciary and the centre issues reports based on the panel's findings as well as annual human rights reports.





