This archive report was first published on 20 July 2019.
July 20, 2019
Two high-ranking officials of Tanzania's ruling party, CCM, have taken a rare step by writing to a council of top leaders, accusing a self-styled 'media activist' of spreading malicious lies about them.
The activist, known for his weekly tabloid and video clips targeting those he accuses of undermining President John Magufuli's leadership, has been accused of libel by several individuals, including a former foreign minister.
Former secretaries-general of CCM, Makamba and Kinana, have stated in a letter that they want to know who supports this man and what the intentions of those who send him are.
They claim to have consulted with retired top leaders of both the Union and Zanzibar before writing their complaint, which has led people to speculate that former presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Benjamin Mkapa, and Jakaya Kikwete were aware of the letter before it was released.
The public is waiting with bated breath as the suggestion in the complaint is that Magufuli himself, or someone very close to him, has been shielding this pseudo-journalist for political gain.
The information police have kept their silence on the matter, despite the directorate's usual zeal in muzzling media outlets with warnings, fines, and bans.
Is this man and his gutter journalism at the service of Magufuli and his re-election bid in 2020? The two former secretaries-general have taken a bold move, and this may lead others to join in the effort to call the bluff of the presumptive 'defender of the president.'
