How an internet blackout affected Tanzania's election

NAIROBI - A five-day internet shutdown during Tanzania's disputed election and the protests that followed was meant to silence dissent and control the narrative, digital activists said, warning the blackout may have fuelled abuses by security forces.

The main opposition party CHADEMA, barred from taking part in the Oct. 29 vote, said hundreds of people were killed in protests, while the United Nations' human rights office said at least 10 people were killed by security forces in three cities.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, one of only two female heads of state in Africa, was sworn into office on Monday.

Here's what you need to know.   

Why did Tanzania impose an internet shutdown?

The government restricted internet access nationwide on Oct. 29 when polling stations opened.

The government did not provide an explanation for the outage. Rights groups said it was aimed at limiting the flow of information and preventing protestors from mobilising.

The shutdown blocked major social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok Live and Instagram Live, preventing real-time updates and online mobilisation, said activists.

Internet freedom monitor NetBlocks said internet services were restored on Nov. 3, but widespread restrictions to social media and messaging platforms remained.

This continued to limit election transparency and the free flow of information, it said in a post on X.

Police in Tanzania have warned people against sharing online images that might "cause panic." Photos and videos have been circulating which showed bodies of people whom users said were shot during the demonstrations.

Context could not authenticate the images.

Felicia Anthonio, #KeepItOn global campaign manager at the digital rights group Access Now, said the internet shutdown was the longest nationwide election-related blackout in Tanzania.

"By flipping the kill switch on election day, authorities made it clear that they wanted to silence dissent and control the narrative," she said.

This is not the first time Tanzanian authorities have plunged the country into digital darkness.

Access Now said previous internet outages during elections began with the first blackout in 2020. 

Across the continent, internet shutdowns have doubled in less than a decade, according to a report co-authored by researchers from the African Digital Rights Network and supported by the Institute of Development Studies.

How has this latest blackout affect Tanzanians?

"The shutdown disrupted people's electoral participation, blocked remittances, obstructed monitoring efforts from election observers and made it extremely difficult for journalists and activists to document and verify reported human rights abuses," said Anthonio.

The blackout also affected internet-dependent businesses. Local media reported international money transfers were hit, prompting remittance platforms such as Nala to shut down.

The Kenya Association of Manufacturers said trade and communication was disrupted across the region.

How have freedom of expression and human rights been affected?

The internet shutdown infringed on constitutional rights to free expression and access to information, essential for credible elections and democratic participation, according to activists.

Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International's deputy director for East and Southern Africa, said his organisation was alarmed by reports that security forces used "excessive force," resulting in the deaths of protesters, during the blackouts.

The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR)also condemned the move, saying internet shutdowns violated Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, which guarantees individuals the right to receive information as well as the right to express and disseminate information

What broader consequences will the shutdown have?

The repeated use of internet restrictions before and during elections reflects a pattern of state control over digital spaces to stifle dissent, rights groups said.

Continued disruptions risk worsening social unrest and violence by fuelling mistrust between citizens and authorities, Anthonio said.

"It is clear that election-related shutdowns cast doubt on the credibility of elections and erode trust in democratic processes," she said.

"Tanzanian authorities must bring to an end this blatant violation of human rights, restore full internet connectivity, and ensure timely and meaningful accountability for the human rights abuses perpetrated," she added.

(Reporting by Nita Bhalla; Editing by Ayla Jean Yackley. )