Dar es Salaam. The Information Services Department, popularly known in Kiswahili as Maelezo, has suspended MwanaHALISI’s publishing licence for six months over a story claiming that Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi had rejected a call to resign.
The suspension took effect on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 after Maelezo found that the newspaper had breached professional requirements on accuracy, balance and verification.
The department said the newspaper had also breached a licence condition requiring publications to comply with the Media Services Act, 2016 and its regulations.
The disputed story, published on pages one, two and three of edition 571, dated August 6–12, 2026, was headlined ‘Nchimbi agoma kujiuzulu’, literally translated as ‘Nchimbi rejects calls to resign’.
According to Maelezo, the story was published “without fulfilling the obligation to ensure accuracy and balance before publishing and distributing information to the public”.
The decision followed a hearing at Maelezo’s Dar es Salaam offices on August 7, where the newspaper was given an opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the report. It was later given three days to submit a written explanation.
However, the department said the explanation did not absolve the newspaper of its responsibility to uphold professional journalistic standards.
“Several shortcomings in journalistic standards were identified, including a lack of accuracy and care in editing the report,” Maelezo said.
One of the errors involved a photograph published on page two. The newspaper used a photograph of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Minister Paul Christian Makonda, but the caption identified him as Dr Nchimbi.
Maelezo described the error as a failure by both the journalist and editors responsible for checking the accuracy of information before publication.
The department also faulted the story for lacking balance, saying it discussed Dr Nchimbi’s alleged resignation without showing that he had been contacted for comment.
“The report focuses on the resignation of Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi, but nowhere does it show that Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi himself was interviewed and made any statement on the matter,” Maelezo said.
It further said the story attributed claims to Mr Makonda without directly quoting him to establish that he had made the statements.
Maelezo also questioned the verification of information attributed to a meeting of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
The department said the journalist had not demonstrated efforts to contact senior CCM officials or meeting participants, including the secretary-general, ideology and publicity secretary or information officer, to verify the claims.
The suspension also took into account previous disciplinary action against the newspaper.
In February, Maelezo sought an explanation over a story headlined “Samia wa 2021 atakutana lini na wa 2026?” This is literally translated as “When will the 2021 Samia meet the 2026 Samia?” The phrase apparently appears to contrast President Samia Suluhu Hassan as she was in 2021 with her political position or approach in 2026.
According to Maelezo, the article in question described President Hassan as a dictator. The matter ended with an oral warning after the newspaper’s editors met the department.
In May, the newspaper was again summoned over edition 557, which carried headlines including ‘ICC haikwepeki’ (ICC [the International Criminal Court] 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, the department issued a written warning and cautioned that further violations could result in action under the law.
“The warning stated that if such violations were repeated, the Information Services Department would not hesitate to take appropriate action in accordance with the law,” Maelezo said.
The latest violations occurred three months after that warning, prompting 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 of the decision.
