TARO AT DPG-CULTURE MEETING (NORWEGIAN EMBASSY, DARES SALAAM
Updated: Oct 17, 2022
DATED: 27/09/2022
TARO has secured a great opportunity to present at Development Partners Group-Culture took place at The Embassy of Norway, Dar es Salaam. The meeting was attended by various representatives of European Union in Tanzania such as Germany, Norway, Switzerland, France and United Kingdom.
TARO has presented different issues affecting arts and cultural sector in Tanzania including artists'Human rights. The focal points for TARO’s presentation based on artistic freedom of expression, Gender Equality, Violations of artistic rights and interests and professionalism but all in arts and cultural sector.
TARO highlighted lot of issues including ongoing situation of banning of musical works which amounts to restrictions on artistic freedom of expression in Tanzania.
Example on September 2022, National Arts Council (In Swahili language- Baraza la sanaa la Taifa –BASATA) jointly with Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) banned the song called “Raisi wa Kitaa” means “president of the streets” owned by a prominent Hip Hop musician famously known as Ney Wa Mitego. But they wrongly referred it as “TOZO”. The song was released last year. It addressed the issue of extremism and unreasonable government charges in financial transactions. The charges have become financial burden to citizens. On 2021, when government introduced those charges, Ney wa Mitego foreseen its effect on individual economy locally. He released the song “Raisi wa Kitaa” and addressed the issues of charges. On 2022, citizens started to feel the bitterness of charges as financial burden and the song became relevant. Citizens started to refer some verses of the song “Raisi wa Kitaa” to lament on financial burden caused by extreme charges on financial transactions. It is when National Arts Council and TCRA banned the song.
Despite the song has addressed lot of issues but they were irritated by issue of government charges. In Swahili language the word “charges” means “TOZO”. Thus why, when they banned the song, they addressed it wrongly as “TOZO”.
Following the criticisms from the song and the Tanzanian public, on September 2021, the charges were reduced by 30% and on September 2022 the charges were waived to transfer and withdraw transactions on mobile money and ATMs for value not exceeding TZS 30,000/= as declared by the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
In the image (Chief Director of Administration-TARO, Advocate Joshua Msambila and Director of British Council Tanzania- Cat Sinclair Jones) at the Embassy of Norway, Dar e salaam- Tanzania)
