Mwana Halisi’s Kubenea eyeing politics?

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The admiration that Tanzanian journalist Saed Kubenea has built appears set to crumble in the wake of reports that he is abandoning his newspaper to contest the Mafia Constituency seat via the ticket of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party in the next election.

Kubenea has earned some of his reputation from bashing the same party as being led by  a bunch of corrupt individuals. His weekly, Mwana Halisi, is one of the most popular Kiswahili publications on account of its candid reportage and hard-hitting commentaries.

The scribe elicited much sympathy when a group of thugs stormed into the paper’s offices early last year, splashed acid on his face and slashed senior journalist Ndimara Tegambwage, a one-time opposition MP.

Also widely attacked was a 90-day suspension of his publication by the government over a news story alleging that some CCM heavyweights were conspiring to oust President Kikwete.

Credible sources say Kubenea’s round trip to India for treatment was sponsored by powerful figures in the political opposition, as well as unhappy establishment personalities.

Damaging allegations have lately surfaced of Kubenea warming up to the establishment in return for advertisement support. Simultaneously he has been sustaining camaraderie with anti-establishment operatives who leak confidential government information that provides the material for the hot news stories and analyses in his paper.

Some observers, however, find it inconceivable that Kubenea could have the best of both worlds. Reached for comment, he rubbished the reports as mere fabrications.