LTanzania’s government has blocked access to the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) after hackers took over the official police account and falsely announced the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The incident, which unfolded on Wednesday, sent shockwaves across the country and prompted swift action from authorities to prevent the spread of misinformation.
According to NetBlocks, an independent internet monitoring group, X became inaccessible on all major Tanzanian internet providers shortly after the fake announcement was posted. “Live metrics show X has become unreachable on major internet providers in Tanzania; the incident comes as a compromised police account posts claims the President has died, angering the country’s leadership,” NetBlocks reported.
The government’s decision to block X comes amid heightened political tension. Just last August, authorities temporarily took X offline following the arrest of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017, was recently arrested again and charged with treason. His political party, Chadema, has also been barred from contesting in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 2025.
Minister of Information, Communications and Technology, Jerry William Silaa, confirmed the hacking incident in parliament. He revealed that the country’s tax authority’s YouTube account was also compromised. “The reason these accounts were compromised is that their security protocols were not sufficiently robust. These accounts have since been restored,” Silaa told lawmakers.
President Suluhu had earlier this week instructed security agencies to “protect social media,” underscoring the importance of digital security in safeguarding national interests. Police say they are actively searching for the individuals behind the cyberattack and have warned the public against sharing or amplifying the false information.
The situation has been further complicated by the recent detention of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan attorney Agather Atuhaire, who were reportedly in Tanzania for civil society work. Their current whereabouts remain unknown, adding to the atmosphere of uncertainty.
