Rights Groups: Freedom of the Press Under Fire in Tanzania

[OKW BOBAN SUNZU]

FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2015, photo, Tanzania President John Magufuli addresses a rally in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Human rights organizations accuse Tanzania's government of using repressive legislation to muzzle the media, civil society and opposition politicians critical of the institution. The critics say cyber crime laws, which took effect two years ago, have been used against nine media organizations, with the Mwanahalisi newspaper the latest to be banned. Rights groups are calling on the government to align its laws with the practices and standards of the international community.

Mwanahalisi is the second newspaper to be banned in Tanzania in one year.

The government said the paper had violated previous warnings about articles criticizing President John Magufuli.

In a statement, the government points to five stories it considered offensive and called on the paper to retract some of them.

Mwanahalisi news editor Saed Kubenea says the paper has done nothing wrong.

“Mwanahalisi newspaper has never written a story that is inciteful. We report facts that are liked by many readers and we point out where the government is going wrong. That’s our policy since the start of this newspaper,” he said.

Previous bans

This is the second time the newspaper has been banned in less than five years. The news outlet was banned in 2012 for publishing stories that allegedly threatened national security. After a three-year court battle, the ban was lifted.
Kubenea says they are hopeful they will get a similar ruling.

“Without a doubt, we will go to court to challenge this decision to ban our newspaper, and we believe the court will listen and give us justice,” he said.

Earlier this year, another newspaper, Mawio, was banned for two years after linking two retired presidents to dubious mining contracts. Rights groups criticized the ban as an attack on freedom of expression, which has been restricted since President Magufuli came to power in 2015.

In 2015 and 2016 the government adopted four pieces of legislation that rights groups say have been used to suppress the media and dissenting voices.

Similar concerns have been voiced by opposition politician Peter Msigwa, who was arrested this week for allegedly linking police to a gun attack on another opposition member earlier in the month.

“I spoke about how this government reacts when it's criticized just like Tundu Lisu used to do it. As Chadema party, we feel that the international community has interest on this case," he said. "I also spoke about the Magufuli administration that shows signs of dictatorship. It doesn’t want to be criticized and advised and they said what I said was inciteful.”

Tundu Lisu is another opposition lawmaker and a government critic. He was shot by unknown gunmen in Tanzania earlier this month.

The legislator has been arrested by police several times and charged with incitement.

Henry Maina is head of the East Africa office of Article 19, a global non-governmental organization that promotes freedom of expression and information worldwide. He says the silencing of the critics is not good for democracy.

“We are going to have a situation where the media, the civil society, and the opposition can no longer raise their voices to hold the government to account because the instruments of power are clearly being used to incarceration, jail and in ornately open cases," he said.

In the 2015 election, President Magufuli received 58 percent of the vote, compared to previous elections in which 80 percent of Tanzanians voted for the ruling CCM party.

Source: Voice of America

 

[kivyako]

"Uhuru wa habari kitanzini"

 

[GRAMAA]

Naona mmekuja na mbinu mpya ya kuichafua Tanzania yetu. Mnaandika habari za uongo ili tu mpewe adhabu kisha muitangazie dunia kwamba Tz hakuna uhuru wa vyombo vya habari.

Kumbukeni mnayoichafua ni nchi yenu na hata matatizo yakitokea yatawapata ndugu zenu.

Mlikuja na issue ya kwamba Tanzania inauwa wapinzani kwa kuwapiga risasi
Sasa mmeibuka na upuuzi mwingine ya kuwa Tz hakuna uhuru wa habari.

Endeleeni tu ila mnachotaka mtakipata

 

[kindikwili]

Mimi nakaribi Bulawayo

 

[Tairi bovu]

Naona mmekuja na mbinu mpya ya kuichafua Tanzania yetu. Mnaandika habari za uongo ili tu mpewe adhabu kisha muitangazie dunia kwamba Tz hakuna uhuru wa vyombo vya habari.

Kumbukeni mnayoichafua ni nchi yenu na hata matatizo yakitokea yatawapata ndugu zenu.

Mlikuja na issue ya kwamba Tanzania inauwa wapinzani kwa kuwapiga risasi
Sasa mmeibuka na upuuzi mwingine ya kuwa Tz hakuna uhuru wa habari.

Endeleeni tu ila mnachotaka mtakipata

Acha kututisha wewe, wenzako hatuishi kama misukule wala kasuku! Kama umeisoma hiyo habar vizuri twambie ni wapi imechafua na kusema uongo dhidi ya Tanzania? Nchi munaichafua wenyewe kwa kukandamiza na kuua wapinzani, kufungia vyombo vya habar na kugombana na wawekezaji mabepari mliowakaribisha wenyewe kwa ndiooo zenu.

 

[Obuma]

Naona mmekuja na mbinu mpya ya kuichafua Tanzania yetu. Mnaandika habari za uongo ili tu mpewe adhabu kisha muitangazie dunia kwamba Tz hakuna uhuru wa vyombo vya habari.

Kumbukeni mnayoichafua ni nchi yenu na hata matatizo yakitokea yatawapata ndugu zenu.

Mlikuja na issue ya kwamba Tanzania inauwa wapinzani kwa kuwapiga risasi
Sasa mmeibuka na upuuzi mwingine ya kuwa Tz hakuna uhuru wa habari.

Endeleeni tu ila mnachotaka mtakipata

Nyumbu wewe

 

[Tume ya Katiba]

Hao ni wezi warasilimali za Africa, Haiwezekani Gazeti liandike habari za uzushi liachiwe, kupotosha jamii chi kizu kizuri, wananchi wana haki ya kuata habari sahihi na sio kujazwa majungu na uongo.

 

[Al-Watan]

Hapa kinachotakiwa ni kwamba, kama Mwanahalisi walivyoshinda kesi ya kuwa banned na serikali, wangeidai serikali mapato yote waliyokosa wakati walivyokuwa banned.

Kama gazeti lilitengeneza faida ya sh milioni 10 kwa wiki, na limekuwa banned miaka mitatu, serikali ilipishwe sh milioni 1560.

Labda next time serikali inapotakaku ban magazeti kizushi ingeweza kutia akili.

 

[Al-Watan]

Hao ni wezi warasilimali za Africa, Haiwezekani Gazeti liandike habari za uzushi liachiwe, kupotosha jamii chi kizu kizuri, wananchi wana haki ya kuata habari sahihi na sio kujazwa majungu na uongo.

Serikali haina track record nzuri katika hili, ishawahi kulifungia Mwanahalisi, gazeti likashtaki mahakamani na kushinda kesi.

Umesoma hapo juu?

 

[Tume ya Katiba]

Serikali haina track record nzuri katika hili, ishawahi kulifungia Mwanahalisi, gazeti likashtaki mahakamani na kushinda kesi.

Umesoma hapo juu?

Kitendo cha serikali kushitakiwa mahakamani na kushindwa kisha kulipa Faini kinaonyesha kuwa Serikali hii ni fair, serikali ipi ya kidikteta utaishinda mahakamani?

 

[mjumbe wa bwana]

shida inakuja gazeti linafungiwa likienda mahakamani linashinda linadai serekali mihela yakutosha na kutufanya tuishi kama mashetani

 

[Muyobhyo]

Naona mmekuja na mbinu mpya ya kuichafua Tanzania yetu. Mnaandika habari za uongo ili tu mpewe adhabu kisha muitangazie dunia kwamba Tz hakuna uhuru wa vyombo vya habari.

Kumbukeni mnayoichafua ni nchi yenu na hata matatizo yakitokea yatawapata ndugu zenu.

Mlikuja na issue ya kwamba Tanzania inauwa wapinzani kwa kuwapiga risasi
Sasa mmeibuka na upuuzi mwingine ya kuwa Tz hakuna uhuru wa habari.

Endeleeni tu ila mnachotaka mtakipata

kwa hiyo yanatokoea yote ni uzushi ndugu

 

[Al-Watan]

Kitendo cha serikali kushitakiwa mahakamani na kushindwa kisha kulipa Faini kinaonyesha kuwa Serikali hii ni fair, serikali ipi ya kidikteta utaishinda mahakamani?

Wapi serikali imelipa faini?

Serikali kushindwa mahakamani ni ushahidi kwamba imefungia gazeti kidikteta, sasa utasemaje kwamba ushahidi kwamba serikali ni ya kidikteta si ushahidi kwamba serikali si ya kidikteta?

Mwizi akikubali kwamba yeye ni mwizi utasema huyu si mwizi, ni mwizi mzuri, kwa sababu kakubali kwamba yeye mwizi?

Utachekelea kwamba umeibiwa na mwizi mzuri na kutamba dunia nzima kwamba una bahati sana kuliko wasioibiwa kwa kuwa umebarikiwa kuibiwa na mwizi mzuri?

 

[Tume ya Katiba]

Wapi serikali imelipa faini?

Serikali kushindwa mahakamani ni ushahidi kwamba imefungia gazeti kidikteta, sasa utasemaje kwamba ushahidi kwamba serikali ni ya kidikteta si ushahidi kwamba serikali si ya kidikteta?

Mwizi akikubali kwamba yeye ni mwizi utasema huyu si mwizi, ni mwizi mzuri, kwa sababu kakubali kwamba yeye mwizi?

Utachekelea kwamba umeibiwa na mwizi mzuri na kutamba dunia nzima kwamba una bahati sana kuliko wasioibiwa kwa kuwa umebarikiwa kuibiwa na mwizi mzuri?

Nimekuuliza ndugu yangu, ni serikali ipi ya kidikteta utaishitaki mahakamani na ukaishinda?

 

[kanabyule]

Naona mmekuja na mbinu mpya ya kuichafua Tanzania yetu. Mnaandika habari za uongo ili tu mpewe adhabu kisha muitangazie dunia kwamba Tz hakuna uhuru wa vyombo vya habari.

Kumbukeni mnayoichafua ni nchi yenu na hata matatizo yakitokea yatawapata ndugu zenu.

Mlikuja na issue ya kwamba Tanzania inauwa wapinzani kwa kuwapiga risasi
Sasa mmeibuka na upuuzi mwingine ya kuwa Tz hakuna uhuru wa habari.

Endeleeni tu ila mnachotaka mtakipata

Mtu akisha vuta bangi hata akiacha ubongo wake hubaki na madhara daima hata aachapo. Wewe ulikwisha vuta bangi iitwayo ccm hivyo hutaacha kuandika makala za hovyo kama hii. POLE YAKO!

 

[Al-Watan]

Nimekuuliza ndugu yangu, ni serikali ipi ya kidikteta utaishitaki mahakamani na ukaishinda?

Serikali ya kidikteta inayopalilia muonekano wa kwamba si ya kidikteta.

Serikali ya kidikteta ambayo haijaweza ku control mahakama za juu vizuri.

Serikali haihitaji kuweza ku control kila kitu ili kuwa ya kidikteta.

 

[olyanu]

Naona mmekuja na mbinu mpya ya kuichafua Tanzania yetu. Mnaandika habari za uongo ili tu mpewe adhabu kisha muitangazie dunia kwamba Tz hakuna uhuru wa vyombo vya habari.

Kumbukeni mnayoichafua ni nchi yenu na hata matatizo yakitokea yatawapata ndugu zenu.

Mlikuja na issue ya kwamba Tanzania inauwa wapinzani kwa kuwapiga risasi
Sasa mmeibuka na upuuzi mwingine ya kuwa Tz hakuna uhuru wa habari.

Endeleeni tu ila mnachotaka mtakipata

Sikutarajia kusoma article kama hii kutoka kwa mtu ambaye si mwendokasi. Wanaoichafua nchi ni akina nani hasa? Siyo nyie wenye mawazo finyu kama ya kwako? Mungu akurehemu

 

[olyanu]

Hata mkitutisha Mungu aliyemuokoa na kumuepusha na kifo lisu atatuokoa tu na hata mkituua mtakachoua ni mwili tu lkn roho zetu zitakwenda kwa Bwana Yesu