The government of Tanzania has issued a new directive to combat the practice of book piracy which it said is undermining the book industry in the Eastern African country, APA can report over the weekend.
Speaking at official opening of the 33rd Tanzania International Book Fair in Dar es Salaam early this week Deputy Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Hamia Mwinjuma said the government has identified book piracy as a major obstacle to the industry’s growth, stressing the need for decisive legal action to protect writers’ work and the resources invested in producing literary works.
“We need to do it now; we should have done it yesterday or last week,” he said. In efforts to combat piracy, Mwinjuma directed the Copyright Society of Tanzania (COSOTA) to work with the Publishers Association of Tanzania (PATA) and submit reports detailing enforcement operations conducted and cases filed against individuals involved in the illegal reproduction and distribution of literary works.
According to the minister, the growth of Kiswahili and the development of the book industry depended on genuine cooperation among stakeholders and the timely implementation of their proposals rather than further delays.
He said the government has given public institutions two weeks to agree on concrete measures to combat book piracy and protect the intellectual property rights of writers and publishers.
“I am an author and I know the huge challenges they face in the fight against piracy. I instruct COSOTA to sit down with PATA and not just submit a plan, but a report on the operations you have conducted and the cases you have filed regarding piracy of writers’ works,” he said.
Beyond combating piracy, Mwinjuma highlighted the role of books in preserving national history, promoting creativity and strengthening society’s understanding of its identity.
He said books should not be viewed merely as classroom learning materials but also as repositories of national records, links between generations and tools for developing critical thinking and creativity.
He added that a nation’s history could not be adequately preserved or passed on to future generations without written works, publications and strong institutions dedicated to safeguarding them.
MG/as/APA