(MISA/IFEX) – On 10 February 2000, the Zanzibar government threatened to take legal action against Press Services Tanzania correspondent Mwinyi Sadallah. Sadallah published a 3 February story in the Kiswahili paper “Nipashe” claiming that the Zanzibar Government Press had started publishing a bill that would allow President Salmin Amour to run for a third term. […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 10 February 2000, the Zanzibar government threatened to take legal action against Press Services Tanzania correspondent Mwinyi Sadallah. Sadallah published a 3 February story in the Kiswahili paper “Nipashe” claiming that the Zanzibar Government Press had started publishing a bill that would allow President Salmin Amour to run for a third term.
According to Television Zanzibar, the director of Zanzibar Information Services, Hamid Vuai, said his office, in collaboration with Zanzibar Government Press, had given Sadallah seven days to apologise for the story or legal action would be taken against him.
The management of the Zanzibar Government Press denied the newspaper story, stating that the bill had yet to be passed. However, Sadallah told MISA-Tanzania that he stood by his story. The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in Zanzibar is currently pushing for a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the president to contest a third term in office.
