The #KeepItOnTz Campaign united 10 members from different corner of Tanzania who worked together on tracking Internet in Tanzania through 2020 election.
Zaina Foundation is a Non-Profit Organization whose mission is to empower women in Technology through Digital security, Digital Rights and privacy capacity building workshops and training. The Foundation envisions in aiding Journalists, Human Rights Defenders, Technologists, Lawyers, and Students who would like to improve their protection in dealing with their online information.
On this day, The Foundation launched a campaign to raise awareness about Internet Freedom through 2020 in Tanzania and documented scenarios of internet shutdowns that are likely to occur towards Presidential Election of October 2020.
What Is Internet Shutdown?
An internet shutdown happens when someone — usually a government — intentionally disrupts the internet or mobile apps to control what people say or do. Shutdowns may also be called “blackouts” or “kill switches.”
The #KeepItOnTz campaign took place on social media platforms i.e. Facebook, Instagram and Tweeter etc. The Out Hashtag for this campaign is #KeepItOnTz and translated into Swahili #NaIwakeIntanet.
Tanzania is a country where freedom of expression and association is restricted online. Zaina Foundation (ZF) is raising awareness for the Tanzanian community to access information and share information during the election period, also preparing the community in case of shutdowns on how to bypass censorship and how to connect on different circumvention tools like using of VPN.
#KeepItOnTz #NaIwakeIntaneti
The #KeepItOnTz coalition have been documented shutdowns that occurred in Tanzania during such periods where there is bandwidth throttling, broadband internet shutdown and service-specific shutdown. There is insufficient access of internet in Tanzania and sometimes not available at specific places when you purchase an internet bundle the internet may work fast in some places but it will not last long. This particular situation discourages people to stay online and use the internet, whereby women are highly affected due to low incomes and gender-based violence.
The #KeepItOnTz coalition advocates and collaborates responsible Authorities including the Government and Internet Service Provider (ISP) on how to support community access and quality network with an affordable price.
#KeepItOnTz #NaIwakeIntaneti