Digital media firm faces 30-day ban in Tanzania over critical animated film

By Lulu Angelo Sanga

DAR ES SALAM, Tanzania (AA) - The Tanzanian government on Thursday suspended the license of a media platform for airing critical animated film.

The online media licenses of Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) were suspended for 30 days, the Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) said Thursday.

The suspension decision came after the MCL aired on Tuesday an animated film on its social media platforms showing a character, widely likened to President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

At least three subsidiaries of the MCL will be impacted by the ban, the TCRA said, adding that it “violated national regulations and led to negative interpretations, harming the country’s image.”

It also “posed a threat to national unity, peace, and solidarity,” said the regulatory body.

The film depicted Tanzanian citizens expressing concerns about issues like child disappearances, and abductions including those of opposition figures, besides killings.

Before the ban, the MCL deleted the animation from its social media platforms, stating: "We have decided to take down the animation shared on October 1, 2024, as it portrayed events that raised concerns about safety and security in Tanzania. The misinterpretation it has generated diverges from our original intent."

On Wednesday night, the media firm announced the temporary cessation of its online publications for 30 days, reaffirming its commitment to delivering quality journalism.

"We regret to inform our esteemed audiences that we will be suspending publication across all our online media platforms, effective immediately,” it added.

In recent months, incidents of disappearances and killings have been a source of public anxiety in Tanzania.