TANZANIA’S intensifying restrictions on social media platforms pose significant risks to democratic participation as the country heads into general elections on 29 October 2025, according to a media scholar’s analysis.
The government suspended Jamii Forums, the country’s most popular online forum, for 90 days in September, citing content that “misleads the public,” “defames” the president and undermines national unity. The platform X, formerly Twitter, remains banned following a cyber attack on official police accounts.
“The restrictions reduce the platforms available for open discussion of government policies, political ideas and election choices,” wrote Leah Mwainyekule, a lecturer at the University of Westminster, in The Conversation. “This shrinking digital space undermines public participation and limits access to diverse viewpoints critical for democratic debate.”
The crackdown comes as Tanzania prepares for only its second election since the death of authoritarian president John Magufuli. The main opposition party, Chadema, still cannot contest major elections despite moderate reforms introduced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Mwainyekule warned that social media plays a crucial role in electoral oversight. “Social media users are known to expose electoral fraud, misinformation and government misconduct,” she wrote.
Tanzania’s restrictive legal framework, anchored by the 2015 Cybercrimes Act, has drawn widespread criticism. The law makes it illegal to share or receive unauthorised information “even if truthful or publicly available,” and allows police to conduct searches and surveillance without judicial authorisation.
Amended regulations in 2025 impose strict content removal deadlines. Platforms must delete prohibited content within two hours of notification by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority – “one of the most stringent requirements globally,” according to Mwainyekule.
The regulations also undermine online anonymity, requiring internet service providers to identify content sources and internet café operators to register users, assign static IP addresses and install cameras.
Critics say vague definitions of prohibited content – including material that “offends individuals or groups” or promotes “evil content” – enable officials to target critics arbitrarily.
“The scales are tilted against dissent, opposition narratives and minority voices,” Mwainyekule wrote, adding that the restrictions reflect “a governance model favouring information control over transparency and accountability.”
The academic warned that the social media curbs “are likely to weaken governance. They undermine transparency, increase tension, and erode public trust, limiting democratic accountability.”
