East African Court directs Tanzania to amend Media Services Act, 2016

The East African Court of Justice has today on March 28, 2019, made a ruling that the Media Services Act, 2016 is in contradiction to section 6(d), 7(2)  and 8 (1) (c) of the East African Treaty. 
According to the East African Court of Justice, sections 7 (3) (a) (b) (c) (f) (g) (h) (i) and (j), 13, 19, 20, 21, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 50, 54, 52, 53, 58, and 59 of the Media Services Act, 2016 violate section 6(d), 7(2) and 8 (1) (c) of the East African Treaty and the government of the United Republic of Tanzania has been directed to take necessary measure to bring the Act into compliance. 

Media Council of Tanzania, Legal and Human Rights Centre and Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition filed a petition early in January 2017 challenging restrictive sections of the Media Services Act, 2016. 

You can read the ruling here