REPORT ON INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN TANZANIA
30th August, 2024
Internet Shutdown is an intentional disruption of internet or electronic communications, rendering them inaccessible or effectively unusable, for a specific population or within a location, often to exert control over the flow of information – Access Now[1]. Authorities in Tanzania restricted X/Twitter on August 30, 2024 for major mobile broadband users (Airtel, Vodacom and Tigo). Up to June 2024, the total internet users in Tanzania are 39.3 million. 21 million Internet users are connected via mobile broadband out of 39.3 million internet users[2]. Due to the ongoing political conflict in the country between Security Forces and the main opposition political party-Democratic and Development Party (CDM) also known as CHADEMA, the Tanzania Police claimed to have intelligence information on CDM plans to mobilize youths protest to attack all police stations in Dar es salaam due to abductions of CDM youth leader known as Deusdedit Soka, who disappeared since 18th August 2024, along with 2 youth representatives from CDM. On 30th August, 2024 at 11:35 Tanzania Time, Police Forces released a public statement emphasizing the CDM to stop organizing protests and attacks on police stations in Dar es salaam[3]. X/Twitter social media was blocked from 11:50 AM on 30th August, 2024 and restored on 31st August,2024 early in the morning. Telegram was blocked from 31stAugust, 2024 until this report was released; still this platform is inaccessible without circumvention software[4].
Access to information in Tanzania is a constitutional right from Article 18 of the Constitution of United Republic of Tanzania, 1977[5]. The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania must take responsibility to ensure open access to the internet, affordable and safe use of internet and security for all internet users in Tanzania at all time.
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