Tanzania Has Allegedly Blocked Internet and Ahead of Election

Tanzania seems to have allegedly blocked internet use and restricted SMS messages using keywords from reports showing up on social media.

On Twitter, we have seen multiple reports of Tanzanians complaining that they cannot access social networks like WhatsApp and using certain keywords are restricted on SMS.

https://twitter.com/FichuaTanzania/status/1320920440194420737?s=20

https://twitter.com/YouthAdvocateKe/status/1320960564416466944?s=20

https://twitter.com/FichuaTanzania/status/1320919828862017538?s=20

From the reports, apparently Tanzanians cannot access Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp on both the mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. VPN search requests on Google in Tanzania have shot up exponentially today as Tanzanians look for ways to connect back to the Internet.

A way people go around this problem is by using a VPN and apparently that is a struggle too.

even w/ vpn, there’s a notable restriction on the use of internet right now in #tanzania. general election takes place tomorrow, oct 28th.
— khalifa said #PALESTINE 🇵🇸 ☭🌹 (@ThatBoyKhalifax) October 27, 2020

Internet has been shutted down in Tanzania since 01:30 up to now,am using VPN to access the Internet.#ZanzibarLivesMatter
— Joseph Edward Silayo (@advocate_silayo) October 27, 2020