Paradigm Initiative is working with local stakeholders to lead efforts in championing a Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill in Tanzania to complement the existing cyber laws in the country.
The effort resulted in the recently convened 2021 Tanzania Stakeholders’ meeting on Digital Rights Legislation in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on June 29 and 30.
According to a statement to Financial Street on Wednesday, the forum attracted 25 stakeholders drawn from civil society, academia, legal fraternity and the media.
PIN said, “Similar discussions on a similar bill are currently ongoing in Cameroon, Malawi, Zambia and other countries in Africa.”
According to the group, the effort is already yielding fruit in the United Republic of Tanzania, as the proposed law is expected to see the light of day in the very near future.
“We also note that there are already discussions in Tanzania around a privacy law and we urge the executive and parliament specifically, to expedite the process of such laws to guarantee data protection and unhindered enjoyment of digital rights among all Tanzanians,” PIN said.
The pan-African digital rights organisation noted that its efforts in promoting collaborations between governments and civil society in Africa also resulted in the introduction of the Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill in Nigeria.
The group added, “It is of our firm belief that so much is possible when citizens, civil society, and government work together in shaping the future, through policy interventions that support innovation and protect the people, such as the Tanzania Digital Rights and Freedom Bill, 2021.
“Going forward, our organisation together with local partners will proceed to engage parliamentarians and government officials to discuss ways through which we can collaborate to enact this bill into law.
“Paradigm Initiative calls on all Tanzanians to support this bill and contribute their positions during the public participation processes to be initiated by the Parliament of Tanzania and the relevant government department.”
