Media players speak out on ‘MwanaHALISI’ six-month ban

Dar es Salaam. Media stakeholders have reacted to the government’s decision to suspend MwanaHALISI’s publishing licence for six months over a story claiming that Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi had rejected calls to resign.

Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF) chairman Deodatus Balile said he did not support the suspension of media licences and argued that the authority issuing licences should not also act as complainant and judge.

“The authority that issues a licence should be independent and should not be the complainant and the judge at the same time,” he said.

Mr Balile said where an individual believes they have been wronged by content published by a media outlet, the appropriate course should be to seek legal redress through the courts.

He also reminded journalists that media freedom comes with responsibilities, particularly the need to verify information before publication.

“When you are asked about an issue, you should be in a position to prove what you have reported. We should not publish corridor talk because one day you may be summoned before a legal authority and fail to defend yourself,” he said.

Meanwhile, Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) executive secretary Ernest Sungura said the council and other media stakeholders were reviewing the government’s statement before issuing a joint position.

“At the moment, if I comment it would be my personal position. As an institution and as media stakeholders, we are assessing the matter and will issue a joint statement later,” he said.

The Information Services Department, popularly known as Maelezo, suspended MwanaHALISI’s publishing licence yesterday after finding that the newspaper had breached professional requirements on accuracy, balance and verification.

The disputed story, published in edition 571, dated August 6–12, 2026, was headlined Nchimbi agoma kujiuzulu, translated as ‘Nchimbi rejects calls to resign’.

Maelezo said the story was published without fulfilling the obligation to ensure accuracy and balance before publishing and distributing information. The department said one of the errors involved a photograph of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Minister Paul Christian Makonda published on page two, while the caption identified him as Dr Nchimbi.

It also faulted the story for failing to show that Dr Nchimbi had been contacted for comment and for attributing claims to Mr Makonda without directly quoting him.

Maelezo further said the journalist had not demonstrated efforts to contact senior CCM officials or participants in a meeting from which some of the claims were attributed.

The decision followed a hearing held at Maelezo’s Dar es Salaam offices on August 7. The newspaper was given an opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the report and later three days to submit a written explanation.

The department said the explanation did not remove the newspaper’s responsibility to uphold professional journalistic standards.

The suspension also took into account previous disciplinary action.

In February, Maelezo sought an explanation over a story headlined Samia wa 2021 atakutana lini na wa 2026?, translated as “When will the 2021 Samia meet the 2026 Samia?” According to the department, the article described President Hassan as a dictator. The matter ended with an oral warning.

In May, the newspaper was summoned over edition 557, which carried headlines including ICC haikwepeki (‘ICC cannot be avoided’), Hawa kuchongewa (‘These ones are being targeted’) and Watang’oka tu (‘They will be removed anyway’).

Maelezo said the edition contained misleading content and other professional shortcomings. On May 8, it issued a written warning that further violations could lead to action under the law.

The latest violations, which occurred three months after the warning, prompted the Director of Information Services to invoke Section 9(b) of the Media Services Act and suspend the licence for six months.

The suspension covers the newspaper’s print and electronic publication and distribution.

MwanaHALISI has the right to appeal to the minister responsible for information within 30 days.

Jamvi la Habari summoned

In a separate development, Maelezo said it had written to Jamvi la Habari requiring its representatives to appear before the department and explain content published in its August 15 and August 17, 2026 editions.

The department said it believed some of the content may have breached provisions of the Media Services Act and its regulations.