Tanzania has blocked access to X (formerly Twitter), following a series of politically charged developments in the country. Alongside that, three human rights activists were denied access to the country and deported back to their respective country’s (Kenya and Uganda) which has added more tension online.
The activists had traveled to attend a court session in Dodoma for Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing charges widely believed to be politically motivated including treason. Their deportation sparked sharp reactions from civil society groups and ordinary Kenyans, who took to social media to condemn what they viewed as state-sponsored intimidation and repression.
The restriction, which suspectedly began on Sunday, May 19, 2025, was first reported by digital rights watchdogs and later confirmed by users who noted they could only access the platform via Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The government is yet to issue a formal statement, but evidence points to a deliberate and coordinated digital blockade most likely intended to control the narrative and suppress dissent.
As the backlash intensified online, Kenyan digital activists and self-described “hacktivists” began targeting official Tanzanian government social media accounts, reportedly gaining unauthorized access to a few of them including Airtel Tanzania. What followed appears to have been a calculated response by Tanzanian authorities to throttle and eventual blocking of X, which is one of the key platforms used to amplify dissent and mobilize public discourse.
Digital rights monitoring organization NetBlocks confirmed the shutdown on Monday morning, noting restricted access to X across major Tanzanian internet service providers, including Vodacom, Airtel, and Tigo. Access Now, Paradigm Initiative, and the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) have since issued alerts, warning that the move signals a broader decline in digital rights and freedom of expression in the region.
While not officially acknowledged, the method of the block points to DNS interference a common censorship tactic used by governments to disrupt access to specific platforms without shutting down the entire internet. By tampering with how users’ devices locate a website, authorities can effectively render a platform inaccessible without necessarily alerting the global tech infrastructure.
This is not the first time Tanzania has used digital tools to restrict civic space. During the 2020 general elections, the country instituted a nearly total internet shutdown, blocking access to social media and messaging apps. That blackout was widely condemned as an attempt to silence opposition voices and restrict election monitoring.
The current move has revived fears of digital authoritarianism in East Africa. Civil society organizations warn that the blocking of X sets a dangerous precedent, especially given the cross-border implications of what began as a crackdown on foreign activists. By targeting a global platform in response to regional criticism, Tanzania is not only shrinking its own democratic space but also signaling intolerance to scrutiny from its neighbors.
While platforms like X offer powerful tools for public mobilization and cross-border solidarity, they are increasingly vulnerable to government retaliation especially in politically sensitive contexts.
With no clear timeline for the restoration of access and the Tanzanian government maintaining silence, the pressure now shifts to regional bodies like the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as global tech companies and internet freedom advocates. X users and digital rights activists are calling for the immediate reversal of the block and for Tanzania to uphold its international commitments to freedom of expression, access to information, and digital rights.