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Tanzania restricted access to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday following a hack of a police account that falsely announced the death of the country’s president, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks. Users in Tanzania could only access the platform through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) amid the shutdown.
This crackdown comes during heightened tensions as activists Boniface Mwangi from Kenya and Agather Atuhaire from Uganda remain missing after their recent arrests by Tanzanian police. The activists were attending the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu ahead of the upcoming October elections.
NetBlocks reported that major Tanzanian internet providers blocked access to X after the compromised police account posted the false claim of the president’s death, provoking a strong reaction from the government.
Tanzania’s Minister of Information, Communications and Technology, Jerry William Silaa, confirmed the security breach during a parliamentary session, revealing that the tax authority’s YouTube account was also hacked. He blamed inadequate security protocols for the incidents and stated the accounts have since been restored.
Police have launched an investigation to track down the perpetrators responsible for the misinformation and urged citizens not to circulate the false claims.
