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Thursday, February 10, 2022

Tanzania has restored publication license to four ‘critical’ newspapers

By Osoro Nyawangah, MWANZA Tanzania

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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