Free Media suffers exodus over poor pay

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One Kiswahili daily, Tanzania Daima, that went into the streets within and outside Dar es Salaam nearly a decade ago is reportedly in dire strai its following the departure of several young journalists protesting against low remuneration.

Tanzania Daima is published by Free Media Limited owned by Dr.Lian Mtei, a Medical Doctor at the  HIV/AIDS Faculty of Muhimbili National Hospital. She is the wife of Freeman Mbowe, Chairman of one of the country’s opposition political parties — CHADEMA.

Mr Mbowe is the chairman and advisor of the paper that was started as one of the avenues for campaigning for political office.
From the onset, Tanzania Daima employed such established editors as Deodatus Balile (Chief Editor), Manyerere Jackton (News Editor), Deus Ngowi (Features Editor), Eric Anthony (Sports Editor) and Ansbert Ngurumo (Editor of  Sunday Tanzania Daima).

Tanzania Daima is published by Free Media Limited owned by Dr.Lian Mtei, a Medical Doctor at the  HIV/AIDS Faculty of Muhimbili National Hospital. She is the wife of Freeman Mbowe, Chairman of one of the country’s opposition political parties — CHADEMA. 

It also had such good reporters like Martin Malera, currently the News Editor, James Marenga, and Tamali Vullu, the paper’s Assistant News Editor, Joster Ramadhani Mwangulumbi, Alfred Lucas and current sports editor Deodatus Mkuchu

Tanzania Daima gave birth to Sayari, a sports weekly on Febrqury 2, 2005. Unfortunately the team that had performed so well started disintegrating in August 200,  just 10 months after the paper had started, when Joster Ramadhani became the first to leave the company.
He was later followed by Ramadhani who was succeeded by Mahmoud Zubeiry from the New Habari who was hired to edit Sayari.
Mahmoud allegedly quit Habari over poor renumeration due to financial difficulties.

In August 2006, Mr Balile  and Mr Ngurumo left for further studies  in England.
When he returned, Balile snubbed Tanzania Daima and joined New Habari Corporation where he was joined by Manyerere who had quit in December 2006 after disagreement with the management of Free Media Ltd.

Free Media picked Absalom Kibanda as News Editor but he was promoted to Executive Editor in January 2008 succeeding  Eric Anthony who left in December 2007 for New Habari.

Later on as New Habari bounced back economically, many journalists crossed from Tanzania Daima, including Deus Ngowi, the feature editor.
In February 2009, Sayari editor Lucas also quit and joined MSETO, a MwanaHalisi weekly.