Tanzania Legislative Assembly (EALA). Operating context MISA Tanzania continues to cooperate with other MISA national chapters and the regional office to help build a stronger regional solidarity movement. The media environment in Tanzania has notably improved over the past year, coinciding with the decision of the government of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to open up the country since coming into office in March 2021. Following a change of tone from the top echelons of power, government officials have opened their doors for dialogue with media stakeholders and have shown a new willingness to reform media laws and regulations. There has been a halt in the suspension of newspapers and imposition of hefty fines against TV and radio stations as well as online content providers since the Hassan government came into office. There has also been a lull in arrests of citizens for exercising their freedom of speech online, contrary to the recent past. However, the existence of restrictive laws and regulations in Tanzania has created a chilling effect on citizens and the media who are forced to practice selfcensorship in exercising their freedoms of expression and that of the press to avoid being on the wrong side of the law. Zambia Operating env ironment Zambian journalists, civil society organisations and Human Rights Defenders continue to face an oppressive legal operating environment. Given that several laws exist that impede freedom of expression, the need for stakeholders; media inclusive, to tread carefully and watch every word or criticism they make, is a must in Zambia. For instance, there are statutes such as the Penal Code which criminalises defamation of the President. However, what exactly constitutes this is unclear. Therefore, strong criticism of the President can warrant an arrest or court appearance , and if unlucky, conviction of up to a maximum of three years imprisonment. Lack of effective coordination among various media stakeholders in Tanzania poses a key challenge. Other sections in the Penal Code dwell on national security and ensuring a legally elected government is not taken out illegally. However, what is strange are some of the definitions outlined in the sedition section. For instance, it states that bringing the Zambian government or the justice administration system into hatred and contempt and to excite disaffection against either of them, is sedition. Media development associations must take advantage of the window of opportunity created by the opening up of the civic space to speak with one voice and strengthen solidarity for effective engagement with the government to push through comprehensive media laws reforms. In addition to laws that impede freedom of expression, some laws make freedom of expression hard as citizens are unable to access public documents. The State Security Act prevents access to public information from public bodies which has been classified; even without proper reasons. Successes Several government documents marked secret cannot be published nor used as sources of information by CSOs, media and human rights defenders. Other laws include the Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Act, which permits the state to serve anyone they suspect is about to commit a crime and to also search and seize computers and these include mobile phones. Challenges MISA Tanzania has played a leading role in advocacy for freedom of expression, press freedom and access to information in Tanzania. MISA Tanzania has taken part in high-level advocacy with senior government officials and lawmakers at both the national and regional (East Africa) levels, as well as training of media practitioners to advocate for reform of media laws and regulations. For media and journalists, such laws derail their ability to carry out investigative reporting and play their watchdog and agenda setting role adequately. Regional projects Zambia is yet to enact access to information legislation. MISA Tanzania has taken part in various regional initiatives, including high-level engagements with the East African Community (EAC) and the East African While the new government came with positive pronouncements on media freedom, freedom of expression and access to information, 10 months (at MISA Regional 2021 Annual 2021 Report 15