BY EMMANUEL ONYANGO
9th November 2013.
Fine on films, plays reduced to Sh3million
The Sh5 million-penalty was earlier proposed in a part that sought to amend a section of the Newspaper Act No. 229 through the Written Laws Miscellaneous Amendment Bill, 2013 tabled in Parliament on Wednesday by Attorney General Frederick Werema. The Bill had sought to amend 14 different Acts.
Instead, MPs now say they want a Bill on Media Management and Freedom of Information for discussion in the next parliamentary session.
The decision to withdraw the section that sought to amend the part in the Newspaper Act No. 229 was reached after a long debate when some of the legislators queried why the Media Bill and Freedom of Information Bill was not tabled in Parliament.
Most of the legislators from the ruling party challenged the idea and queried why the media bill was not brought for discussion.
Jenister Muhagama (CCM – Paramiho), said the government move the media bill in a bid to remove or amend the old clauses.
The newspaper act was passed in 1976, and is now under discussion for nearly eight years now.
Peter Serukamba (CCM, Kigoma), who supported the move also asked the House to discuss the media bill and discard some of the offending clauses in the Act.
Speaker Anne Makinda said there was need of a media bill – which could possibly be tabled during the 13th session which starts in early Dec ember.
Meanwhile, Parliament has approved the recommended proposed penalty for the Film and Sports Act as earlier presented in the Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No 3) Bill of 2013 by the Attorney General.
The House has endorsed a penalty of Sh. 3 million instead of Sh5m fines as earlier proposed.
Earlier, Shadow Justice Minister Tundu Lissu (Chadema -- Singida East) queried the amendments for the Act since it was last amended in 1976.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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