TANZANIA BLOCKS ACCESS TO X AMID POLITICAL TENSIONS

TANZANIA ACCUSSES FOREIGN ACTIVITS OF INTEFERENCE

Taking a look at regional news tensions continue to rise in Tanzania. Since May 20th, reports indicate that citizens have been unable to access X, formerly known as Twitter.
This follows a suspected cyberattack by unknown hackers who hijacked the official Tanzania Police Force account. The compromised account was then used to spread false information, including claims about the death of the Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan.
“Live metrics show X (formerly Twitter) has become unreachable on major internet providers in Tanzania; the incident comes as a compromised police account posts claims [sic] the President has died, angering the country’s leadership,” the London-based internet freedom monitor said in a Mastodon update some minutes past 9 p.m. EAT.
These developments unfold against the backdrop of growing concerns around digital freedoms and state control in East Africa. Prior to these developments Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire were detained in Tanzania after traveling to observe the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
“We have started to observe a trend in which activists from within our region are attempting to intrude and interfere in our affairs,” she said in a televised speech during the launch of the country’s new foreign policy.
Tanzanian authorities allege Mwangi used false information to enter the country. Both activists were reportedly deported but their exact whereabouts remain unclear.
“What they were coming to do in this country is a violation of Tanzanian laws, which is unacceptable,” said Ndumbaro at the meeting on the achievements of his ministry during the four years of the Sixth Phase Government
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi confirmed Mwangi is in Tanzanian custody, and diplomatic efforts are ongoing.
“I will not protest that because I think there is some truth. Let us face a few facts. The level of etiquette, insults that we see in Kenya, even though we have the freedom of speech is sometimes going overboard to some extent. She is saying people have sometimes gone to extremes in their utterances in Kenya, which is a fact,” he explained.
“What we need to talk about is, can we get to the bottom of the treatment there…I am a Kenyan too, and the fact of the matter is that our approach and our utterances, because we are free in speech, have lacked in integrity,” he said.
“She (Samia) has said that she is unhappy, because they observe what we do here, but I will need a little time to get more evidence into the details of the operation, to the point of saying whether we have displayed decency. I am not talking about the individuals in question, but she is talking from a general viewpoint, and if it is a general viewpoint, then I think she has a point,” he said.
“The Jumuiya has not taken away the sovereignty of the states; the countries have not ceded their sovereignty to the EAC, so it remains. If there is sovereignty, then a country will make certain decisions. They have taken the decision, so it is the duty through the diplomatic channels to find out what the circumstances were in detail,” he added.
Rights groups are calling this a case of enforced disappearance, raising alarms over regional civil liberties. For now we watch and see.
This comes few days after Tanzanian human rights defenders coalition has condemned the arrest and deportation of martha karua, gloria kimani and lynn ngugi who were earlier arrested on saturday at nyerere international airport.
Karua was expected to represent the opposition figure tundu lisu who was charged with treason. According to karua the act is unlawful and a violation of the regional and international human rights standards.
Martha karua claims on her x page that the supervisor has informed them that their entry to tanzania has been denied with no reason given. Supporters and legal colleagues have called for respect of the principles of free movement and legal representation within the east african community. Martha karua later arrived at jkia at 4:30pm as jubilant supporters chanted in solidarity.