Maxence Melo is enthusiastic, creative and
passionate about promotion and protection
of Freedom of Expression and Privacy.
He is a Building Economist, turned into a
Digital Innovator and an “Information
Architect”. He leads JamiiForums.com
operations, the most visited website in
Tanzania and believes in building secure
platforms for meaningful conversations.
Maxence has played an enormous role in
revolutionizing digital story-telling in
promotion of Transparency and
Accountability in Tanzania.
He is a member of the Forum for African
Investigative Reporters and the Global
Investigative Journalism Network.
Maxence is a certified Digital Security expert,
helping netizens to remain safe while using
digital platforms (safe online space).

Professionally, he is a Building Economist
with 8 years of experience, worked with CSI
Construction from 2002 to 2010.
He is an alumnus of the International
Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) by the
U.S. Department of State.
Internationally, Maxence was recognized by
the African Union as one of the top 3
Leading African Innovators for Change in
2018 for strengthening the viability of
Whistleblowing Policy tools in Africa.
Maxence is a recipient of various awards
including the 2019 International Press
Freedom Award by the Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ), Online Freedom of
Speech Champion in Tanzania 2018 by
Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition
(THRDC) and the Daudi Mwangosi Award
(2019) by UTPC - for Promotion of Media
Freedom in Tanzania.

Between Dec 2016 to Nov 2020, he appeared before
the court 159 times on 3 charges over protection
personal data of JamiiForums clients in Tanzania.
From Dec 2020 to October 2022, he led a loose
coalition that involved multiple stakeholders (state
and non-state actors) from Local and International
organizations and came up with a citizen-centered
Model Bill on Personal Data Protection for Tanzania.
On Dec 2023, he was appointed as a Board
Member of Tanzania’s Personal Data Protection
Commission.