Tanzania has blocked access to the social media platform X—formerly known as Twitter—following a cyberattack that compromised the official account of the Tanzania Police Force. The account was used to falsely announce the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, sparking alarm and drawing immediate condemnation from government officials.
The internet monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed the shutdown, noting that X became inaccessible across all major internet service providers in the country.
“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 posted on X.
The disruption follows President Samia’s recent call for stronger measures to “protect” social media platforms and the integrity of digital communication. The government insists that the blackout is necessary to maintain national stability amid rising concerns over misinformation.
Authorities quickly debunked the false reports and assured the public that President Samia is alive and well. Still, the damage had been done—the country experienced its second X blackout in under a year.
The Tanzania Police Force launched an investigation into the cyberattack and issued a stern warning. A statement clarified that none of the misinformation originated from the Force.
“The circulating information is entirely false. The Police Force does not, and would never, publish such content through its official platforms,” the statement read.
Officials urged citizens not to share or forward the fake content and warned that anyone caught participating in its creation or distribution would face legal action.
The cyberattack was part of a broader coordinated breach that affected several high-profile Tanzanian X accounts, including Simba SC, media personality Odemba, and Airtel Tanzania. All were used to post similar false messages about a national leader’s death, leading to widespread confusion before the affected parties regained control and clarified the situation.
The incident has reignited concerns among digital rights groups about growing restrictions on free expression in Tanzania, particularly in light of the government’s increasing use of internet shutdowns as a response to political or social unrest.
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