Tanzania: Gov. turns down journo’s application for naturalisation
Published: 15/Feb/2002
Source: Africa News Service
The government of Tanzania has turned down an application for naturalisation by Jenerali Ulimwengu, a veteran journalist and publisher.
Ulimwengu, 53 is Chairman of Habari Corporation, publisher of highly regarded and fiercely independent newspapers “Rai”, “Mtanzania” and “The African”, which have often run foul of the government by writing revelatory stories and biting commentaries about corruption in high places.
Last year, in a move that shocked many, the Tanzania government announced it had stripped Ulimwengu of his citizenship, alongside three other people because, it was said that they could not prove their parents’ citizenship.
They were all advised to apply for naturalisation to take care of “technical problems”. They all applied and on Wednesday February 13 it was revealed that all except Ulimwengu had been granted naturalisation by the Minister of Home Affairs.
According to the Tanzanian chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Tanzania), this move has confirmed fears, expressed last year, that the whole charade had been organised to get at Ulimwengu because of his journalistic activities.
Ulimwengu’s ‘s critical newspaper articles and weekly television programme have often irked authorities.