Something unsettling is happening in East Africa. The same internet that once gave us freedom, connection, and hope is now being turned into a weapon of control.
When Tanzania went dark during its election, I could not stop thinking about how much trust and transparency were lost in that single act. Social media, messaging apps, and news websites all vanished at a time when citizens needed them most. No explanations were given, only silence. It was as if someone had flipped a switch to mute an entire nation’s voice.
Kenya’s story feels just as worrying. The country’s new cybercrime law, which the courts have temporarily partly suspended, gives government agencies the power to block or remove content without a court order.
The law was meant to fight cybercrime, but its vague wording could easily have been used to target journalists or critics. The thought that a single agency could decide what people see or say online is frightening in a country that once prided itself on digital freedom.
This is not just about two countries. It is part of a bigger regional trend that the latest State of Internet Freedom in Africa 2025 report by CIPESA makes painfully clear.
The report warns that “without deliberate, inclusive, and rights centered governance, technology risks entrenching authoritarianism and exacerbating inequalities.” That line struck me because it perfectly describes what is unfolding in our region.
CIPESA found that many African governments are using digital tools not to connect citizens but to control them. The report mentions how “AI powered systems are being used to track, monitor, and suppress online voices,” adding that this has already led to serious privacy violations and self censorship.
It also points out that most countries still lack strong data protection or AI regulation, leaving ordinary citizens vulnerable to state surveillance.
It is easy to see how this happens. Leaders justify these actions as security measures or as a way to stop misinformation. But when the internet goes down on election day or when laws allow unchecked censorship, it stops being about safety. It becomes about power and fear, fear of what free people might say or do when they can speak to one another without barriers.
CIPESA’s report puts it bluntly: “Africa’s digital future must be open, inclusive, and rights respecting.” That vision is only possible if governments treat the internet as a public good, not a threat.
It means giving people the right to access information, protecting journalists and whistleblowers, and ensuring that surveillance always comes with accountability.
The internet is more than a tool. It is a lifeline for, for citizens, for anyone trying to make sense of their country and hold those in power to account. When that lifeline is cut, so is democracy.
If East Africa is to live up to its democratic promise, we must defend the right to stay connected. Because when governments start fearing Wi-Fi more than votes, we should all be asking what they are afraid of and what they do not want us to see and say.
