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By DAILY NEWS Reporter, 16th December 2011 @ 12:06, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 341
The Managing Editor for Free Media Ltd, Mr Absalom Kibanda was on Friday interrogated by the police for three hours over claims of incitement through an article published by the local daily paper he is in-charge of.
But Mr Kibanda, who is the Managing Editor for Tanzania Daima, was subsequently released on a 5m/- bond.
In an interview after leaving the Police Headquarters, Mr Kibanda said he had been asked to report back to the Central Police Station on Monday at 9:00am.
Mr Kibanda, who is also the chairperson of the Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF) was interrogated over an article which appeared on Tanzania Daima, written by Samson Mwigamba and published on November 30, this year.
Police claimed that the article carried rebellious motives stirring junior police officers not to obey orders from their superiors if they seemed to be serving political interests.
According to Mr Kibanda, the article was not part of the newspaper editorial whatsoever, and that it was an opinion by a contributor who expressed personal views.
I dont agree with the polices interpretation of the article. I have fears that the police may work on this issue in a manner that may put our country among those with records of media freedom surpression and peoples freedom to express views without breaching the existing laws. he said
He added, I have already been interviewed by different media outlets both local and international regarding handling of the matter by the police.
Careful reading of the article reveals that the article does not carry any provocative sentiments. Before I reported to the police headquarters, I was in touch with the Deputy Minister for Home Affairs on the same issue and I personally do not want to be seen standing behind assumptions arguably meant to spoil work relations between the police and the government. he clarified
Mr Kibanda insisted that the article was not part of the newspaper editorial but rather an opinion piece by a writer who was making his position on what he believed the police should do in certain circumstances.
A case has already been filed against Mwigamba charged over incitement allegations.
The Managing Editor for Free Media Ltd, Mr Absalom Kibanda was on Friday interrogated by the police for three hours over claims of incitement through an article published by the local daily paper he is in-charge of.
But Mr Kibanda, who is the Managing Editor for Tanzania Daima, was subsequently released on a 5m/- bond.
In an interview after leaving the Police Headquarters, Mr Kibanda said he had been asked to report back to the Central Police Station on Monday at 9:00am.
Mr Kibanda, who is also the chairperson of the Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF) was interrogated over an article which appeared on Tanzania Daima, written by Samson Mwigamba and published on November 30, this year.
Police claimed that the article carried rebellious motives stirring junior police officers not to obey orders from their superiors if they seemed to be serving political interests.
According to Mr Kibanda, the article was not part of the newspaper editorial whatsoever, and that it was an opinion by a contributor who expressed personal views.
I dont agree with the polices interpretation of the article. I have fears that the police may work on this issue in a manner that may put our country among those with records of media freedom surpression and peoples freedom to express views without breaching the existing laws. he said
He added, I have already been interviewed by different media outlets both local and international regarding handling of the matter by the police.
Careful reading of the article reveals that the article does not carry any provocative sentiments. Before I reported to the police headquarters, I was in touch with the Deputy Minister for Home Affairs on the same issue and I personally do not want to be seen standing behind assumptions arguably meant to spoil work relations between the police and the government. he clarified
Mr Kibanda insisted that the article was not part of the newspaper editorial but rather an opinion piece by a writer who was making his position on what he believed the police should do in certain circumstances.
A case has already been filed against Mwigamba charged over incitement allegations.
