Access to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was disrupted across Tanzania on Wednesday, following the hacking of an official police account that falsely announced the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The shutdown came amidst heightened political tension and scrutiny after the arrest and disappearance of two prominent East African activists — Boniface Mwangi from Kenya and Agather Atuhaire from Uganda. Both were in Tanzania to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, ahead of the nation’s general elections slated for October 2025.
According to reports from AFP correspondents, users across Tanzania were unable to access X without a VPN. Independent internet observatory NetBlocks confirmed the disruption, stating:
“Live metrics show X has become unreachable on major internet providers in #Tanzania. The incident follows the hijacking of a police account which posted false claims about the President’s death — sparking outrage at the highest levels.”
In a session before parliament, Information Minister Jerry William Silaa acknowledged the breach, confirming that both the Tanzania Police Force’s X account and the YouTube account of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) were compromised.
“The reason these accounts were compromised is that their security protocols were not sufficiently robust,” Silaa said. “These accounts have since been restored.”
The Tanzanian government has yet to confirm the whereabouts of the two detained activists, raising regional concerns over freedom of expression, digital rights, and cross-border detentions.
The shutdown has drawn criticism from digital rights groups and civil society, warning that internet restrictions during politically sensitive periods undermine democracy and transparency.
