The government of Tanzania has at last restored
publication license to four ‘critical’ newspapers which had been banned for
various professional reasons.
This was disclosed today, February 10, 2022, by
Minister of Information, Communications and IT, Nape Nnauye during a press
conference with editors in the commercial city of Dar es Salaam.
On 6 April 2021, Tanzania’s new President, Samia Hassan,
made a statement in the State House to order the lifting of media restrictions and suspensions imposed
on media outlets under her late predecessor John Magufuli with
immediate effect.
The newspapers that were banned on accounts of
breaching media laws and professional ethics between 2016-2020 and have been relicensed
are Tanzania Daima, Mwanahalisi, Mawio, and Mseto.
The minister told the editors that they have decided
to lift the ban following directives from President Samia Hassan who wanted
authorities at the Information ministry to restore licenses of some media
outlets.
He said the president's order is defined as a law
and should be enforced.
“The President's order is law and must be
enforced, today I will restore licenses to four banned newspapers.” He said.
“It’s good to start a new chapter, the punishment
duration is enough now, let work continue.” Nape said urging the newspapers to
operate according to the laws of the land.
The Editors called on the government to make
changes on media laws to meet international criteria.
On 24 June 2020, Tanzania’s Information Services
Department, which registers print media revoked distribution and
publication license of the daily Swahili newspaper - Tanzania Daima.
The Information Department’s statement accused Tanzania
Daima of breaching the law and professional ethics, and banned its
distribution domestically and abroad.
However, the statement did not cite specific
content from the newspaper that was allegedly illegal, nor did it specify which
laws the paper was accused of breaking.
Tanzania Daima was
previously banned for 90 days in 2017 on allegations of
publishing false information, according to media reports from the time. The paper is owned by the
family of Freeman Mbowe, the Chairman of the main opposition party, CHADEMA.
The tabloid, Mwanahalisi was banned for two
years after it was accused by the government of inciting violence. It was the
second time the newspaper had been closed in three months.
In 2016, the Swahili investigative newspaper - Mawio
was banned over articles it published linking two former presidents to alleged
improprieties in mining deals signed in the 1990s and early 2000s.
In September 2017, the same government banned a
weekly newspaper Raia Mwema for 90 days over an article criticizing the former
president John Magufuli-led government claiming that the tabloid had published
wrong quotes of the president.
The story that got the newspaper banned had a
Swahili headline meaning “John Magufuli’s presidency doomed to fail”.
In 2019, Tanzania authorities issued suspensions
against three other media outlets; Kwanza
TV, The
Citizen newspaper,
and the online services of Mwananchi.
Press freedom in Tanzania had dramatically worsened in
recent years. In particular, the 2016 Media Services Act allowed the government
to shut down media houses, and to suspend publications and broadcasts – powers
which were soon applied in practice.
The Media Services Act of 2016 gives officials
powers to shut down media organisations that violate their licenses and
requires newspapers to apply for an annual license.
Since in 2015, the country has experienced a sharp backslide in respect for basic freedoms of association and
expression, undermining both media freedoms and civil society. While some
restrictive trends may have predated his term, they have intensified since he
became president.
Authorities have passed new legislation and
enforced existing laws that repress independent reporting and restrict the work
of media, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and political opposition groups.
The president and other high-level officials have made hostile statements about
rights issues, at times followed by enforcement actions cracking down on individuals
and organizations seen as being critical of government policy.
Authorities have censored and suspended newspapers
and radio stations, arbitrarily deregistered NGOs, and have not conducted
credible investigations into abductions, attempts on the lives of journalists
and opposition figures.
The government has arbitrarily arrested and, in
some cases, brought harassing prosecutions against journalists, activists, and
opposition politicians, perceived to be government critics. - Africa
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