The EastAfrican’ ban angers IPI

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In Summary

• The International Press Institute adds its voice to the chorus of condemnation against the ban on regional weekly
• World body describes the government’s move as heavy-handed and says the right of citizens to receive information must be safeguarded

Vienna. The International Press Institute (IPI) has condemned the government’s ban on the regional weekly The EastAfrican.

IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis yesterday urged Tanzanian authorities to reverse the ban immediately.

“Especially in light of the upcoming elections, Tanzania must exercise diligence in protecting the rights of citizens to receive information and the right of news media outlets such as The EastAfrican to freely share it with them,” he said.

“If the problem is merely a failure to register, authorities should work with the newspaper to allow it to meet that formality, rather than take the heavy-handed step of shutting it down.”

The government banned the circulation of The EastAfrican on January 21, saying the newspaper was not registered in Tanzania in line with the relevant legislation.

But prior to the ban, the Director of Information Services, Mr Assah Mwambene, summoned the newspaper’s Dar es Salaam bureau chief chief Christopher Kidanka, and accused the publication of harbouring a “negative agenda against Tanzania”.

Mr Mwambene also criticised the paper’s reporting and analysis, including its opinion articles, and took issue with a recent cartoon, which, he said, was disrespectful to President Jakaya Kikwete.

Mr Linus Gitahi, CEO of the Nairobi-based Nation Media Group, which owns the newspaper, said banning the publication was an overreaction.

“It’s unacceptable that a simple cartoon can create such a reaction. When other countries like France are standing with their journalists, shutting down is an extreme measure that we urge the government to reconsider,” said Mr Gitahi, who is also a member of the IPI Executive Board.

He said The EastAfrican was “the only paper that serves the interests of the East African community as it circulates almost evenly across the member states”.

Last week, NMG chairman Wilfred Kiboro said the government should reconsider its “draconian” decision to ban the newspaper, which has been circulating in the country since it was established in 1994.

“Surely they can’t just wake up now and declare us illegal. If it was an issue of regularising files that does not require such a draconian measure of banning a newspaper,” he said

On Monday, the EU, Canada, Norway and Switzerland criticised the ban in a joint statement.

Last week’s move was the latest in a string of bans imposed by the government on newspapers in recent years.

In 2013, the government banned the publication and circulation of Kiswahili dailies Mwananchi and Mtanzania for two weeks and one month, respectively.  The weekly MwanaHalisi was banned indefinitely in July 2012.   All papers were accused of sedition and incitement.