Tanzanian authorities have ordered a six-month suspension of the prominent weekly newspaper Mwanahalisi following claims of fractures within the ruling administration, Agence France-Presse reported.
The Information Ministry immediately halted all print and electronic publishing licenses for the outlet, according to an official statement issued in Swahili.
Regulators targeted the publication after it alleged Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi resisted pressure to resign amid disputes with President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Government officials claimed the report lacked proper verification because journalists failed to interview Nchimbi or confirm quotes attributed to cabinet ministers.
A photo mislabeling the information minister as Nchimbi was also cited by authorities as grounds for the disciplinary action.
The harsh penalty marks a escalating clampdown on the press, coming months after the outlet received a formal warning over editorial commentary.
International observers warn of shrinking democratic spaces in Tanzania, where political turbulence sparked violent clashes during the previous election cycle.
Although President Hassan initially earned praise for unwinding repressive media bans enacted by her predecessor, recent enforcement actions signal a chilling return to tight state oversight.
According to the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, Tanzania currently ranks 117th out of 180 nations globally.
Publishers of Mwanahalisi have 30 days under the national Media Services Act to file a formal appeal against the state prohibition.