Makonda in hot water over night Clouds raid

Dar es Salaam. Clouds Media Group (CMG) is contemplating suing Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda for allegedly storming into the firm’s station, according to reliable sources.

A senior CMG official, who preferred anonymity, said Mr Makonda, who was escorted by several armed policemen, forced his way into CMG studios in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, on Friday evening.

He said police had interviewed several CMG officials in connection with the incident.

The source said Mr Makonda stormed the studios after video footage, which showed a woman claiming that her infant son was fathered by Bishop Josephat Gwajima of the Glory of Christ Tanzania Church, was not aired.

“I ordered that the videos shouldn’t be aired because it didn’t meet the required criteria; this I think, angered the RC, hence he decided to storm our studios accompanied by armed policemen,” said the source.

According to the source, Information, Arts and Sports minister Nape Nnauye will visit the station today. The minister also called for calm among media practitioners for “what had happened” through Twitter.

A video footage, which shows the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner escorted by armed policemen evading Clouds Media Group (CMG), sparked an angry reaction from social media users at the weekend.

The content of the video also dominated much of the Sunday sermon at Bishop Gwajima’s church.

The closed circuit television (CCTV) footage, which went viral on social media, showed Mr Makonda storming CMG studios after what the outspoken cleric claimed to be the failure by the broadcaster to air a programme that tarnished his image.

The clip at the centre of the latest drama shows a woman claiming that Mr Gwajima fathered and abandoned a child with her. It was shared on various social media groups at the weekend.

Mr Gwajima, who has been in a war of words with Mr Makonda since he was included on the list of suspected drug users called for questioning at the Central Police Station in Dar es Salaam last month, displayed and distributed what he claimed to be certificates of one Daudi Albert Bashite, who he has also been claiming is Mr Makonda.

The Regional Commissioner has been under relentless pressure to make public his academic certificates. The certificates storm surfaced a few days after Mr Makonda publicly linked several prominent individuals, including politicians, businesspeople, artistes and religions leaders, to narcotic drugs last month.

Those named include billionaire businessman Yusuf Manji, opposition leader Freeman Mbowe and actress Wema Sepetu.

On the other hand, Bishop Gwajima has repeatedly accused Mr Makonda of forging his Form Four certificate and using another person’s name. He has challenged the RC to prove otherwise.

There were unconfirmed reports that Mr Makonda tendered his resignation shortly before disappearing.

And during yesterday’s sermon, Bishop Gwajima reiterated his call for Mr Makonda to come out to public and reveal his academic certificates.

“I am not the father of the child who is seen in the video clip…the RC accompanied by armed policemen stormed the Clouds Media Group studios on Friday after the clip wasn’t shown on one of the programmes as they had earlier agreed,” said Mr Gwajima.

According to him, after storming the studios, the police beat some of the CMG officials, who were on duty.