TANZANIA SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS UNDER SEVERE THREAT INTRODUCTION A GAINST the backdrop of a global decline in press freedom, signaling a weakening of a crucial democratic accountability mechanism, the situation becomes particularly pronounced in nations trying to solidify emerging democratic institutions, a challenge faced by numerous countries in Africa. According to the latest report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the percentage of African countries deemed to have a “bad” journalism environment rose from 33 percent last year to 40 percent in 2023, coinciding with an increasing trend of authoritarianism among governments, with exceptions. This report speaks for Tanzania’s current situation, a nation experiencing rapid erosions in both democratic and press freedoms over recent years. AUTHOR: Elizabeth Riziki STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023 Despite President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s commitment to reviewing press laws and lifting 76