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Tanzanian journalist reported missing for two weeks
A Tanzanian journalist has gone missing since 21 November. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) asks the government to do its utmost to find the journalist and bring him back safe.
Journalist Azory Gwanda, who works for Mwananchi Communications Limited, ( a subsidiary of Nation Media Group) and Citizen Newspapers, reportedly has been missing since Tuesday, 21 November. Media report that he was last seen when he left home in a white Toyota Land Cruiser with four occupants. Reports said Gwanda told his wife, Anna Pinoni, that he had “an impromptu journey” and would be back in a day or two. Mrs Pinoni told the media that she “became alarmed after he had failed to return home and all his numbers could not be reached since the day he departed”.
According to the Daily Nation, Gwanda wrote several articles on his investigations about attacks in Kibiti district in Pwani Province, which surrounds Tanzania’s capital city Dar es Saalaam.
The Executive Editor of Mwananchi Communications Limited, Bakari Machumu, told the IFJ that the company had written to the Inspector General of Police demanding that the police speed up their investigations to bring Azory back to his family and to his duties. However, nothing has been revealed so far by the police.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger, said: “We are concerned about the fate of Azory and urge the Tanzanian government to do its utmost to find him and bring him home safely. The Government of Tanzania has the obligation and responsibility to protect the lives of its citizens, including journalists. It must demonstrate its total commitment in doing everything within its means in relation to disappearance of our colleague.”
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