(MISA/IFEX) – President Salim Amour of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government, has lifted the ban imposed on the two mainland-based privately owned dailies – “Majira” and “Mtanzania”. **Updates IFEX alert of 21 August 1998, 8 February and 5 February 1996** Addressing the nation on the thirty fifth anniversary of the Zanzibar Revolution at Gombani stadium in […]
(MISA/IFEX) – President Salim Amour of the Zanzibar Revolutionary
Government, has lifted the ban imposed on the two mainland-based privately
owned dailies – “Majira” and “Mtanzania”.
**Updates IFEX alert of 21 August 1998, 8 February and 5 February 1996**
Addressing the nation on the thirty fifth anniversary of the Zanzibar
Revolution at Gombani stadium in Chake-Chake, Pemba, President Amour said
newspapers had initially assumed an alternative role as the opposition’s
second forum and had “provoked, instigated, despised and made a mockery of
everything good done by CCM [Chama Cha Mapinduzi, the ruling government
party], the government and its leaders.” He noted that during 1998, the
newspapers in the country had made significant positive changes in terms of
professionalism and were doing their best to stick to ethics based on
respect.
He pointed out that reporters had a great role to play in news gathering and
informing people through publication of correct information and he hoped
that the two newspapers would stick to professional ethics.
Background Information
On 24 January 1996, “Majira” was banned from the island when the government
of Zanzibar accused the paper of publishing “seditious and malicious”
articles against the ruling CCM party. The Zanzibar Minister of Information,
Youth, Tourism and Culture, Issa Mohammed Issa, announced the ban on state
controlled radio and cited a number of articles that questioned President
Amour’s political conduct after the October 1995 general elections.
On 19 August 1998, the Zanzibar Minister of Information, Youth, Tourism and
Culture banned “Mtanzania” from the island, accusing the paper of publishing
a false story involving the ruling CCM party in its 17 August edition.
