Tanzania bans newspaper over ‘misleading’ headlines

A Tanzanian newspaper has been suspended for 30 days for publishing false information, government spokesperson has said.

The weekly publication, Raia Mwema, headlined a story linking the gunman who attacked soldiers near the French embassy last month to the ruling party.

The spokesperson Gerson Msigwa said this violates the information act and could threaten the country’s security.

He displayed two other headlines from the newspaper that he said were misleading.

The suspension is meant to give the publication time to change their operations.

The newspaper has not commented on the suspension.

This is the second publication to be banned in Tanzania since President Samia Suluhu took office.

The ruling party-owned Uhuru newspaper was suspended after publishing a story saying that the president would not vie in the 2025 elections.

President Suluhu had allowed media outlets banned by former President John Magufuli to operate.

Source: BBC