SECTOR 1 (3) The Government and its institutions, civil society organisations and individuals will be responsible for providing information to the public about the activities and the implementation of their activities. (4) The Parliament shall enact laws for the purpose of protecting: (a) the right and freedom of the press; and (b) news and information for the purpose of national security, peace, public moral conduct, justice, respect and liberties of other persons. Despite its progressive outlook, panellists noted that the proposed recognition of freedom of the media was inconsequential if the new constitution remained shelved – as was the case during the holding of this AMB. Furthermore, they had a generally unsatisfactory appraisal of the levels to which the current constitution guaranteed freedom of expression and of the media: Stating [freedom of expression] in the constitution is one thing, guaranteeing it is another thing. Guaranteeing means that steps are taken to ensure that citizens enjoy these rights. But that is not the case. Strictly speaking, there is no right that is guaranteed in the country. [On the contrary] laws that are supposed to enforce these rights are designed to undermine them. The constitution itself sets limits to the enjoyment of rights and freedoms, noting in Section 30 that rights are only enjoyed if they do not infringe on the rights of others and the general interest. Quite significantly, it adds that the provisions of the constitution setting out fundamental human rights, freedoms and duties do not stop the state from enforcing existing legislation or enacting future ones that might take away citizen’s rights and freedoms as enshrined in the constitution. Notably, the constitution outlines, citizens’ rights and freedoms can be abnegated for the purposes of: ensuring that the rights and freedoms of other people or of the interests of the public are not prejudiced by the wrongful exercise of the freedoms and rights of individuals; ensuring the defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, rural and urban development planning, the exploitation and utilisation of minerals or the increase and development of property or any other interests for the purposes of enhancing the public benefit; ensuring the execution of a judgment or order of a court given or made in any civil or criminal matter; protecting the reputation, rights and freedoms of others or the privacy of persons involved in any court proceedings, prohibiting the disclosure of confidential information, or safeguarding the dignity, authority and independence of the courts; imposing restrictions, supervising and controlling the formation, management and activities of private societies and organisations in the country; or 11 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER TANZANIA 2019