from ALLOYCE KIMBUNGA in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Tanzania Bureau
DAR-ES-SALAAM, (CAJ News) – TANZANIA has earned an unenviable reputation as one of worst perpetrators of online rights globally, with the internet throttling continuing post the October 29 elections.
This is the third time in less than a year that in the East African country, which also is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc of the continent, authorities have resorted to an internet blockade to silence dissenting voices.
Killings by state security and other human rights violations continue amid internet and electricity blackouts.
It is feared more than 2 000 people have died since incumbent, Samia Suluhu Hassan, was declared winner of the disputed election, with around 98 percent of the vote.
“For close to a week now, many people in Tanzania have suffered nationwide internet and electricity shutdowns,” Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, lamented.
Amnesty expressed concern at reports that amid the blackouts, security forces had used excessive force to suppress and disperse ongoing post-election protests, resulting in the deaths and injuries of protesters.
Chikwanda urged authorities to also allow local and international media to freely report on the human rights situation in the country and refrain from restricting access to information, both online and offline including by immediately restoring internet access and access to basic public services.
“The ongoing restrictions are making it difficult to verify information, and to document election-related human rights violations,” Chikwanda said.
Late Monday, NetBlocks stated live metrics showed widespread restrictions to multiple social media and messaging platforms as Tanzania came back online after a five-day internet shutdown.
“The incident continues to limit election transparency and the free flow of information,” the internet watchdog organization stated.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AHCPR) recently denounced the “digital shutdown.”
On Monday, the Southern African Development Community election observer mission said the telecommunications blockade had delayed the release of its report by two days.
The report was eventually released and denounced the conduct of the poll.
Prior to the elections, social media platforms such as X and Jumia were banned.
– CAJ News