Tanzania has imposed a three-month ban on radical tabloid Mwanahalisi for allegedly publishing seditious articles. "The newspaper is fond of publishing articles that ridicule senior government leaders including president Jakaya Kikwete and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM)," information minister George Mkuchika told reporters in Dar es Salam on Monday.
Mwanahalisi editor has Saed Kubenea denied the allegations.
Mkuchika said the newspaper's publishers and editors remained defiant despite numerous warnings. He said the tabloid recently claimed a plot existed to topple Kikwete and listed his eldest son, Ridhiwani, among those behind it. "This is very bad, the paper maliciously intended to cause misunderstandings between Kikwete and members of his family," Mkuchika said.
The Citizen newspaper reported:
"I would like to emphasise that this punishment should serve as a lesson, not only to this particular newspaper, but also to others that deliberately violated professional guidelines on the pretext of exercising freedom of expression," Mkuchika said in a prepared statement. "The Government will not tolerate such people or organisations that aim to incite and threaten peace in the country," he added.
The minister said he did not consult any of the media organisations such as Media Council of Tanzania because he was empowered by law to take the decision. He warned that the media in Tanzania have been given the freedom of writing but some media houses have been misusing such freedom. The minister said there would be no freedom without boundaries. Mkuchika also added that had directed police to question Kubenea and look into the possibility of charging him.
