This archive report was first published on 27 June 2020.
On June 25, the United States embassy in Tanzania condemned the revocation of the media licence of an opposition party newspaper, Tanzania Daima.
The newspaper, published by Free Media Ltd, is 75 per cent owned by Lilian Mtei, the wife of Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe, who has declared his intention to run against President John Pombe Magufuli in this year's election.
The Tanzania government, through Registrar of Newspapers Patrick Kipangula, cited repeated flouting of national laws and journalism ethics in the newspaper's reportage as the reason for the revocation.
However, the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) and Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF) have termed the government's decision as 'sad' and one that curtails media freedom and freedom of expression.
They also pointed out that the Governance and Rule of Law Media Services Act (MSA) is a bad law, allowing the government to be complainant, prosecutor, and judge of its own case.
