The Tanzania government revoked the publication and circulation licence for Tanzania Daima, a daily newspaper that is associated with opposition leader Freeman Mbowe.
The United States embassy in Tanzania on June 25 condemned the “revocation of the media licence of an opposition party newspaper.”
The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) and Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF) issued a joint statement terming the government’s decision as “sad” and one that curtails media freedom and freedom of expression.
“We have said consistently, as we hereby reiterate that the Governance and Rule of Law Media Services Act (MSA) is a bad law because it allows the government to be complainant, prosecutor and judge of its own case”, said the statement that added that the decision leaves no room for fairness in dispensing justice.
Tanzania Daima, which is known for its criticism of the government, is published by Free Media Ltd, a company that is 75 per cent owned by Lilian Mtei, the wife of the main opposition party, Chadema, chairman Freeman Mbowe.