Media stakeholders blacklist Dr Mukangara, Mwambene

By The guardian reporter

Assah Mwambene, Tanzania Information Services Director

Media stakeholders who met in Dar es Salaam yesterday to discuss the ban imposed on various newspapers by the government, have indefinitely blacklisted the Minister of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Dr Fenella Mukangara and Tanzania Information Services Director Assah Mwambene.

They resolved to stop writing, reporting, advertising or taking photographs in any activities coordinated by the two officials.

The stakeholders also vowed to continue criticizing the Newspaper Act of 1976 which allows the Information ministry discretionary powers to ban publications.

The decision was reached by media stakeholders from various institutions which are Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT), Tanzania Editors Forum, (TEF) and Media Institute of Southern Africa Tanzania Chapter (MISA-Tan).

Others are the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC), Dar City Press Club (DCPC) and Tanzania Human Rights Defenders (THRDC).

The government banned Mwanachi and Mtanzania newspapers through notice No.333 of September 27, 2013 which prohibited them to engage in any form of publication. The notice said that ‘Mwananchi’ published a story titled: ‘Mishahara Mipya Serikalini 2013,’ literally meaning ‘New Government Salaries 2013,’ saying the information was “embargoed material,” only meant for government reference, and not for public consumption.

The notice also said on August 17, 2013 in issue No. 4774, the paper in question published a story headlined: ‘Waislamu wasali chini ya ulinzi mkali’ which literally means ‘Muslims pray under tight security’.
According to the government notice, the story was illustrated by a picture of a furious dog, implying that the police used dogs to patrol the mosque during prayers.

‘Mtanzania’ is said to have published a story in its issue number 7262 of March 20, 2013 with headlined: ‘Urais wa damu’, literally meaning ‘Presidency through bloodshed’ and another ‘Mapinduzi hayaepukiki’, literally meaning ‘Revolution is inevitable’ in its June 12, 2013 edition, issue No. 7344.

Following the ban, a number of media stakeholders at both national and international levels condemned the government’s decision.

On Tuesday, MOAT called upon the minister for Sports, Youth and Culture to lift the ban imposed on Mtanzania and Mwananchi Newspapers, advising the government to stop banning newspapers and instead to take them to court instead. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN