Tanzania Restores Internet Accessโค After โฃFive-Day Election Shutdown, Restrictions Remain
DAR ES SALAAM – Internet โฃaccess in Tanzania has โคbeen partially restored following a five-day shutdown coinciding with the country’s general election on October 29th. However, โrestrictions to multiple social media and messaging platforms, including TikTok, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger, are reportedly โstill in effect as โฃof November 3rd.
Theโฃ blackout, which impacted communications and online payments, drewโข strong condemnation from media โand human rights organizations concerned about government censorship of โpolitical issues. Globalโข internet monitorโฃ NetBlocks reported ongoing restrictions even after the restoration โof broader connectivity, stating the incident โค”continues to limit electionโข openness and theโ free flow of โฃdetails.”
Thisโ is not the first instance of โขinternet restrictions inโฃ Tanzania.Amnesty International has documented three such occurrences in under a year. โThe action mirrors a growing trend across Africa,โ with recent blocks reported in Mozambique andโค Mauritius in late 2024.โฃ
Beyond โขAfrica, governmentsโค in Nepal, โคSudan, and Vietnamโฃ have also blocked voice and video calls or social media access this year.โ Theโ most severe recent case occurred in afghanistan,โข where authorities imposed a near-totalโ internet blackout โenforcing new morality restrictions.
The Africanโค Union’s African Commission on human and Peoples’ โขRights has emphasized the critical role โขof internet access โin ensuring free,fair,and credible elections andโ advancing human rights.