MINISTER for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, has said the government is ready and fully committed to keeping citizens well informed of the achievements of the fifth phase government for the past five years through various sources, including radio communication.
He also said the government would ensure members of the public had access to information on the general election expected to be held later this year.
“This information will include civic education,” he explained.
Dr Mwakyembe gave this assurance in Kilimanjaro Region recently during his two-day tour of the region in which, among other things, he inspected TBC transmitter stations, one located in Mabungo, Moshi, and the one in Tarakea, Rombo District.
“The government has made great strides in almost all sectors of the economy. The five-year term of the fifth phase government under President John Magufuli is close to the end. So, Tanzanians should be informed of the five-year achievements,” he explained.
Dr Mwakyembe explained that the government through his ministry was aware of challenges of lack of radio communication facing some districts in the country, including some in Kilimanjaro Region, where he said his tour was one of the steps taken by the government to address those challenges.
“During tours of other parts of the country, we found that Tanzanians, especially those living near borders, access information through radio broadcasts from neighbouring countries. Let me assure you that the government has already started addressing these challenge through my ministry and through TBC experts,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of TBC Director-General, Dr Ayub Rioba, Ms Upendo Mbele, who is an engineer, said TBC had already imported equipment that would be installed in some transmission stations, including those in Kilimanjaro Region.
“The capacity of Mabungo Transmission Centre, for example, has dropped from 2,000-650kw. Before this situation, it was able to transmit information waves as far as Mwanga and Same districts, but due to a drop in the number of listeners in the two districts there are some challenges,” she said, attributing the situation to lack of modern transmission equipment.
He added that the imported TBC equipment was still being cleared at the airport and after clearance, repairing of the transmission stations would start and in three months everything would be clear.
On her part, Rombo District Commissioner Agnes Hokororo was optimistic about the renovation of the TBC transmission stations.
