Tanzania bans ‘Diary of Wimpy Kid’ for being ”immoral”
Dar es Salaam. ‘Morrally repugnant’ is the language being used to describe an American children’s book series and media franchise, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” which the Tanzanian government, under the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, has prohibited from being used in the country.
The use of 16 books from the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series has been banned by the government in all schools and educational institutions in the country.
The ban was announced down by Prof. Adolf Mkenda, Minister of Education, Science, and Technology, who alleges that the book goes against Tanzanian traditions and customs, and thus “schools have the obligation to follow those procedures when preparing children.”
He went on to say, “I encourage parents to check students’ bags and rooms to ensure that these books are not being used at home; the inspection and monitoring are ongoing to determine if such books are in schools so that we can take action.”
The authorities further believe that the books promote negative foreign behavior, especially on issues such as transgender, gay, lesbianism, bisexuality, intersex, and asexuality.
Book stores in Tanzania have been ordered to take the books off their shelves and display racks.
The main selling point of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” is the fact that the main character is a funny child (a middle-schooler wimpy kid called Greg Heffley) with a different outlook on life.
Article published on 15th February 2023 on The Guardian