For the second time in less than a year, Tanzania has blocked access to X (formerly Twitter), marking a growing pattern of digital repression in the East African nation. The shutdown, confirmed by NetBlocks, occurred shortly after a compromised police account posted false claims regarding the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
According to NetBlocks, real-time network data showed X becoming unreachable across major Tanzanian internet providers. This follows similar government action in August 2024, when authorities also took X offline after the arrest of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Police Account Hack Triggers Censorship
The immediate cause of this latest shutdown appears to be the hacking of the official Tanzania Police Force (TANPOL) X account, which was used to spread unverified news about the President’s death. This act reportedly angered the country’s leadership, prompting President Suluhu to instruct police to “protect social media” earlier this week. The irony of this statement has not been lost on civil society and digital rights observers.
The country’s broader political climate is tense. Tundu Lissu, a major opposition figure who survived an assassination attempt in 2017, has been arrested again and charged with treason. His political party, Chadema, has also been barred from participating in the upcoming October 2025 presidential election.
Kenyan and Ugandan Activists Detained
The situation escalated further when Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan attorney Agather Atuhaire were detained by Tanzanian authorities. Both individuals were in the country on what appears to be civil society work. Their whereabouts remain unknown, though journalist John Allan Namu confirmed speaking to Mwangi’s wife, who stated her husband had not yet been deported.
Tanzania has previously deported other high-profile Kenyan figures, including former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and former Justice Minister Martha Karua.
A Pattern of Suppression:
This latest shutdown aligns with an increasingly authoritarian digital policy landscape in Tanzania. In October 2023, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) imposed a ban on Virtual Private Network (VPN) usage without government-issued permits. Citizens found using VPNs without prior approval risk fines of up to $2,000 or a minimum of 12 months in prison.
The law, anchored in the 2020 Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, was ostensibly introduced to block access to illegal content. But in practice, it has criminalized digital privacy and censored opposition voices, especially during politically sensitive periods.
East Africa’s Troubling Trend of Digital Repression
Tanzania’s actions are part of a growing regional trend. Kenya faced scrutiny in 2023 and again in 2024 for suspected Telegram blackouts during the KCSE national exams. These disruptions occurred without official acknowledgment and were only partially addressed by the government or telecom providers.
Uganda has a long history of shutting down social media around elections, most notably in January 2021 during its presidential polls. Ethiopia has intermittently restricted access to the internet during civil unrest, and Sudan’s access has also been tightly controlled during protests.
In all cases, authorities have cited public order, misinformation, or national security as justifications. However, civil society organizations argue that these shutdowns are increasingly used to suppress dissent, obscure state violence, and prevent citizens from organizing or accessing independent information.
The Londa report notes that this trend is deeply worrying for marginalized communities, who are disproportionately affected when access to digital tools is curtailed. Small business owners, journalists, students, and civil society groups often bear the brunt of politically motivated internet restrictions.
A Looming Digital Authoritarianism?
The recurrence of politically motivated internet shutdowns and the criminalization of circumvention tools like VPNs point to what experts now describe as a looming “digital authoritarianism” in parts of Africa.
The tactics are varied but coordinated: arrests of opposition leaders, censorship of platforms, surveillance, vague regulations, and silence from regulators. While Tanzania currently stands out, Kenya, Uganda, and others show similar tendencies, particularly when elections, protests, or sensitive investigations arise.
Digital rights advocates warn that unless governments are held accountable, such actions could normalize repression across Africa’s digital spaces.
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