Tanzania is back in the spotlight for blocking the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) nationwide. This move came after hackers took over the official Tanzania Police Force X account and falsely announced President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s death. A full-blown cyberattack led to one of the most dramatic shutdowns the country has seen this year.
According to internet watchdog NetBlocks, access to X was blocked across all major internet providers in Tanzania, cutting off millions from the platform. This isn’t the first time Tanzanians have been silenced online, and it’s starting to feel like déjà vu.
The timing is no coincidence. Just days before the hack, President Suluhu had ordered security agencies to tighten surveillance on social media, citing national interest. That call for action quickly snowballed.
In early May, the country pulled the plug on more than 80,000 digital platforms, websites, blogs, and social media accounts in what was the biggest digital crackdown in Tanzanian history.
While the official line from the government claimed it was all about protecting children’s mental health, critics see a different agenda: growing online censorship.
Hamis Mwijuma, the deputy minister for information, told Parliament that the banned platforms were flagged for “unethical content.”
But who decides what’s unethical?
That’s where the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) steps in, and they’re not shy about using their power.
The roots of this crackdown run deep. Tanzania’s strict online content laws, introduced in 2017 and tightened in 2020, ban any material considered obscene, hateful, or disruptive to public peace. Offenders face jail time, hefty fines, or both. The TCRA has the legal muscle to monitor everything from blogs to personal posts, and clearly, it’s not afraid to flex.
As fake news continues to test the limits of digital freedom, Tanzania’s response raises serious questions: Is this about protecting the public, or is it a calculated move to control the narrative?
Either way, the country’s digital silence is speaking volumes.
By Risper Akinyi