Media stakeholders and civil society organizations have raised alarm over the government’s proposed National Press Accreditation Policy and Broadcasting and Online Content Regulations, 2026. What is framed as regulation risks becoming a tool for control.
The proposed policy would require journalists, freelancers, content creators, and influential social media users to obtain state-administered accreditation. Far from a logistical tool, this centralizes power over who can report and limits scrutiny of public institutions. Worse, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and the Minister would decide who qualifies as a journalist, undermining independence and exposing reporters to undue pressure.
The online content regulations are equally concerning. Broad powers to designate “online content providers” could drag bloggers and ordinary citizens under state oversight without consent or recourse. Provisions allowing PURA to remove content or suspend registration lack independent review and risk curtailing fundamental freedoms.
Even with claims that registration is optional, journalists at regulated media houses would still be forced to register—creating indirect pressure. Existing laws do not authorize such control, and disciplinary powers should rest with independent bodies, not regulators.
These proposals contradict regional and international standards, including the African Commission’s Declaration on Freedom of Expression, which emphasizes independent oversight. The government must rethink these measures and ensure frameworks protect, rather than restrict, press freedom.
Press freedom is not a privilege—it is a right. The state should safeguard it, not gatekeep it.