Tanzania Restricts Access to Platform X Following Cyberattacks Targeting Police

Editorial: reda El ghazal

Tanzanian authorities have restricted access to Platform X after several official accounts, including that of the national police, were hacked. The attackers posted explicit content and false information announcing the president’s death, prompting the police to issue a denial and launch an investigation. Shortly after, data from Netblocks confirmed that Platform X was inaccessible via the country’s major internet service providers (ISPs), forcing users to rely on VPNs—a practice deemed illegal without government authorization.

This decision comes amid heightened tensions following the deportation of Kenyan activists who had traveled to Tanzania to attend the treason trial of opposition figure Tundu Lissu. The Tanzanian President had warned against foreign interference, reacting to the expulsion of Kenya’s former Justice Minister, Martha Karua, and other activists. Simultaneously, a Kenyan activist and a Ugandan woman were arrested in Dar es Salaam by individuals suspected to be military personnel, though their detention location remains unconfirmed.

While the government claims to have secured the hacked accounts, concerns persist over the fate of the detained activists. The wife of Boniface Mwangi, one of those arrested, expressed fears for his life, having received no updates since his detention. The Tanganyika Law Society revealed that the two activists are being held by immigration authorities, despite initial claims of deportation. A legal team is closely monitoring the case to ensure a swift and fair resolution.