The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has suspended the online publication activities of Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) for 30 days, citing the publication of “prohibited content.” As a result, MCL’s online platforms, including The Citizen, Mwananchi Digital, Mwananchi, and Mwanaspoti, will be unavailable during this period.
TCRA, which is responsible for issuing and renewing licenses, enforcing license conditions, and establishing standards for regulated goods and services, stated that the suspension followed the publication of audio-visual content on October 1, 2024, which was deemed prohibited under Regulation 16. TCRA Director General Jabiri Bakari indicated that the content threatens national unity and social peace.
In response, MCL issued a public statement across its websites and social media platforms, expressing its commitment to addressing the issue with the government regulator. The statement read, “We regret to inform our esteemed audiences that we shall be ceasing publication across all our online media platforms with immediate effect due to TCRA suspending all our online media services licences for 30 days, citing publication of prohibited content that violates the Electronics Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, 2020.”
This is not the first time MCL has faced regulatory action; in 2020, TCRA suspended its license for six months after The Citizen posted a leaked video of former President John Magufuli during the COVID-19 pandemic.
