The Government through the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports in collaboration with the e-Government Agency (e-GA) is completing the final stages of the construction of a registration system and issuance of digital IDs for Journalists nationwide – Journalists Accreditation & Registrations System (JARS).
The system, developed under the Department of Information (Information) and e-GA Systems Experts, aims to simplify, increase transparency and enhance the work of journalists by providing them with registration services and issuance of work IDs in their areas without having to travel to Dodoma or Dar es Salaam to obtain the service.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry and Chief Government Spokesperson Mr. Gerson Msigwa said this while giving information on various issues including projects implemented by the sixth phase government during a press conference on March 16, 2025 at the Kwala Dry Port, Coast Region.
He said the system, among other things, will have the ability to register, verify and store information about all journalists in the country.
“A journalist will have the ability to fill in information and enter important information such as a photo, place of work, information about his citizenship, etc., and the system will provide security marks that no one can forge”, said Mr. Msigwa
“Through this system, a journalist will have the ability to apply for and obtain his physical ID. The system has the ability to display information on the back-end page which will be verified and used by the Journalists Accreditation Board-JAB to issue a Press Card online”.
He said the system will have the ability to provide the journalist with information before the expiration of his ID (alert when the ID is about to expire) and will also send him a text message via mobile phone.
Mr. Msigwa said that through the system, when a journalist applies for an identity card, he will be given a payment number “control number” to pay online and once he has paid, his payment will be visible and approved by the relevant authorities (approved) and that it will have two types of visibility (windows) for local and international journalists.
“The system will enable journalists to upload important documents such as professional certificates for verification (VERIFICATION) and also the system will receive applications from foreign journalists and they, as is the case with local ones, will be asked to upload (Requirements) when they meet the criteria and then the next step will follow”, he said.
The system will have the ability to verify journalists’ information by connecting with other government systems such as GePG, NIDA, NECTA, Immigration, etc. for payments, verification of certificates and information (Verification).
Mr. Msigwa said the system will have the ability to remove all those who lack qualifications/do not update their information when required to do so, will enable the user to sign in the relevant place (Digital signature) as well as allow professional information and work location to be accessed instantly through a code (QR CODE).
“This service to obtain digital identities will be available to all journalists who have met the professional criteria (Journalism and Public Communication)”, he said
