Editors and reporters from various media organisations yesterday protested against the recent three-month ban imposed on Mwanahalisi Newspaper by the Government.

For the first time in the history of Tanzania, local journalists expressed open outrage in the streets against the government accusing it of trying to stifle media freedom.

The scribes held placards denouncing the "State's disrespect of media freedom" and sealed their mouths with tape to dramatise the authorities, bid to silence the press.

Peaceful protesters marched from Lugoda Street at the Gerezani area and ended at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports headquarters where Editors Forum vice chairman Absalom Kibanda handed a petition to assistant director of Information, Mr Habib Nyundo on behalf of Minister George Mkuchika.

The minister is currently is Dodoma where is attending parliament business. He has been the culprit in the case as far as the media is concerned evidenced by the editors' decision to black him out from coverage for three months.

In the petition, the journalists demanded the government to reverse its decision to ban the tabloid.

The protest was supported by the Tanzania chapter of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (Misa), Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) and the Tanzania Media Women Association (Tamwa) whose officials also took to the streets in solidarity.

Opposition party officials also sent statements to newsrooms saying they were behind the demonstration.

At the ministry offices, Mr Nyundo grudgingly accepted the petition saying the ministry did not recognise the Editors Forum, which organised the march, since it was not officially registered.

"I have received you message although I don't know what it contains. I will deliver it to the minister but the ministry does not recognise the Editors Forum," he said.

However, the forum dismissed the director's remarks saying they were out of place.

But it was a spectacular scene outside the offices with some ordinary citizens joining in the demonstration.

Some journalists held placards praising the media for revealing several corruption scandals in the country. Some of the placards read: 'Who revealed EPA? Richmond?

Others read: 'We want Mwanahalisi back' 'A country without a free media is a dictatorship' and 'Banning Mwanahalisi is favouring Mafisadi' (corruption).

Organisers said the journalists were unhappy with the way the government had banned the newspaper, adding that it could set a bad precedent.

Mr Kibanda said the era of threats was long over and urged the government to learn from past mistakes.

He said the government should stop destroying relations with media organisations it had no control over since they were crucial for the development of the country.

"Relations must remain normal, we are not here to attack individuals but to correct a wrong that has been done," said Kibanda.

Other protesters called for the repealing of the Newspaper Act of 1976 saying it was outdated, and prone to be abused by the minister against newspapers deemed unfriendly to the authorities.

Mwanahalisi newspaper was banned after publishing a story alleging that there was a plot to block President Jakaya Kikwete from running for a second term in 2010.

The story implicated the President's son, Ridhwani Kikwete and eight CCM regional chairmen in the plot. The ruling party leaders have since vowed to file charges against the newspaper's managing editor Saed Kubenea.

However, the journalists said they were not protesting to suggest that the story, but against the decision to ban the tabloid without consulting.

Mr Kibanda said it was also surprising that only the tabloid was punished but other newspapers that published the same story were not banned.

"We are also surprised by the ministry's rushed move at a time those implicated were not complaining about the story," he said.

Misa board chairman Ayub Rioba said trying to silence the media would not be tolerated or entertained.

"We are in a country where there is democracy but where we are heading now seems to be negating media freedom," he said.

Tamwa's executive secretary Ananilea Nkya urged the government to "re-think its decision" since banning of one newspaper could be the beginning of a campaign against the press.

Opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema)'s director for youth affairs, Mr John Mnyika also expressed concern at government's decision and praised local journalists for uniting against media onslaught.