Zanzibar Newspaper Corporation (ZNC) is the official state-owned publishing house of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, responsible for producing the Swahili-language daily Zanzibar Leo—a key platform for government communication in the archipelago.
Media assets
Publishing: Zanzibar Leo
Radio: Radio Tanzania Zanzibar (RTZ)
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
ZNC was established under the Zanzibar Newspaper Corporation Act of 2008, which formalized the state’s control over print media in the region. Under this law, the President of Zanzibar appoints the Managing Editor, who also serves as the organization’s chief executive. The Board of Directors is composed of seven members, most of whom are either appointed by top government officials—including the President—or are ex officio public servants, such as the Director of Information and the State Attorney.
As of June 2025, the Managing Editor, who effectively serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Zanzibar Newspaper Corporation (ZNC), is Abdulla Mohammed Juma. He holds the post of Managing Editor at Zanzibar Leo.
This governance structure leaves little doubt that editorial leadership and corporate oversight remain firmly in government hands.
Source of funding and budget
Although ZNC earns modest revenue from newspaper sales and advertising, the lion’s share of its operating budget comes from government subsidies. According to journalists and media experts interviewed between March 2024 and April 2025, public funds continue to underwrite the bulk of ZNC’s operations.
The corporation does not publish financial statements, and no detailed annual budget information is made available to the public, rendering its financial structure largely opaque.
Editorial independence
ZNC is widely regarded as an unapologetic mouthpiece of the government. Its flagship publication, Zanzibar Leo, operates squarely within the editorial boundaries set by the 2008 statute that established the corporation. Since its full incorporation into ZNC, the newspaper has functioned as a tool of official messaging, echoing state narratives and avoiding dissenting perspectives.
There is no internal editorial charter to guarantee independence, nor is there an external oversight mechanism in place to assess or enforce editorial integrity. As a result, ZNC lacks any institutional or legal buffers against political interference, making it a state-owned publisher in name and in practice.
According to a ZBC audience survey in May 2025, Zanzibar Leo secured approximately 30% of the news market share in Zanzibar, ranking as the leading local newspaper ahead of mainland-based publications.
June 2025