Govt vows action against VP’s fake news peddlers

TANZANIA: THE government is investigating the culprits behind false news regarding the health of Vice-President Dr Phillip Mpango.

The Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Mr Nape Nnauye, said on Monday that the government will take appropriate legal action against those who are proven guilty, in order to discourage the misuse of social media platforms in the country.

Through his social media platform “X” on Sunday, Minister Nape stated that the government is actively enforcing laws that regulate the appropriate use of social media.

“We are enforcing the proper use of social media, while also empowering institutions and individuals responsible for enforcing these laws,” he said.

In recent days, there have been false reports about the Vice-President’s health, causing significant confusion and fear among citizens.

Dr Mpango made his first public appearance on Sunday after being abroad for over a month doing ‘special government work.’

Dr Mpango said he was hurt by the false rumors circulating on social media.

“I will not die but live and will proclaim what the Lord has done,” Dr Mpango read Psalm 118:17 in the Bible during the Sunday service at Blessed Maria Theresa Catholic Church in Dodoma Region.

“So have peace, I am safe. I just went abroad to do special government work for about one month,” added Dr Mpango at the service led by Father Dionis Paskal Safari.

The VP also used the opportunity to criticise the misuse of media platforms and urged Tanzanians to use social media for the development of the country and not to harm others.

He said the inappropriate use of social media has been hurting many people in the country, insisting that everyone should use it well with the fear of God.

“The social media platforms are good, but some people misuse them and hurt many people. There are many people who have been hurt by baseless words. Let’s do our best to use the internet properly with the fear of God,” Dr Mpango said.

Speaking yesterday, Minister Nape assured the public that actions would be taken in accordance with the laws without infringing on people’s freedom of expression.

He expressed hope that citizens would understand the government’s good intentions in managing the misuse of social media in the country.

Minister Nape stated that safe internet usage is crucial in ensuring the peace and security of the country.

He pointed out that there are compelling reasons for the importance of safe social media usage to avoid misuse, as seen recently when social media users falsely reported the death of the Vice-President.

Emphasising the importance of promoting peace and stability in the country, Nape said, “Misuse of social media can cause unrest and jeopardise the peace and stability of the nation. Spreading false death reports about individuals can ignite fear and concern among citizens.”

He also said that safeguarding the dignity of all citizens is vital, as the misuse of social media can seriously harm the reputation and status of leaders as well as citizens.

The minister explained that spreading false information about deaths is a violation of respect and can affect the ability of citizens to live their lives effectively, causing turmoil in society.

“Abuse of social media can easily be used to create and disseminate false and misleading information. Falsely claiming someone’s death is one of the tactics that can be used to deceive the public and cause chaos.

“As a government, we must take legal action against those who violate the laws of safe social media usage. By doing so, we can build a society that respects communication and works together for the development and peace of the country,” added Minister Nape.

Minister Nape emphasised the importance of respecting and ensuring the safety of everyone by ensuring that social media users adhere to ethics, principles, and laws governing communication.

“Misuse of social media can be a threat to the safety of citizens. Spreading false death reports can cause anxiety for their family, relatives and the public at large. Therefore, it is important to take steps to prevent such actions,” said Minister Nape.

He also stressed the importance of the government creating a safe communication environment in the country to ensure the safe use of social media.

“We can create a safe online environment that enables citizens to express their opinions without using false and hateful means to humiliate and create turmoil in our society,” said Minister Nape.

Minister Nape said the government has been reminding citizens of the importance of safe social media usage for development rather than misuse.

He said his ministry has been providing public education on the importance of safe usage, including the global cybersecurity public education month in October 2023.