Access to X Limited in Tanzania Following Hacker Attack on Police Accounts

Mon Oct 20 2025 01:06:42 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Tanzanian police investigate hacking incidents that compromised official accounts, as access to the social media platform X is restricted nationwide.

The Tanzanian government has restricted access to the social media platform X after hackers targeted and compromised official accounts, including the police's. Security concerns arise amid tensions over the deportation of Kenyan activists linked to a high-profile opposition trial.

The Tanzanian police have initiated an investigation following a serious breach involving the hacking of various social media accounts belonging to government and private entities. Consequently, access to the platform X has been significantly restricted throughout Tanzania. Most notably, the official police account was infiltrated, leading to the dissemination of explicit content and inaccurate claims regarding the president's demise. In response, the police clarified their disconnection from the misinformation and announced a probe to trace the culprits responsible.

Subsequently, Netblocks, an organization monitoring global internet access, reported that X was largely "unreachable" via major internet service providers within Tanzania. While users in Dar es Salaam, the country’s capital, reported ongoing difficulties accessing the site, some individuals from other regions were able to log in, although using virtual private networks (VPNs), which require a permit to use legally, became a necessity. Officials have not publicly confirmed whether access to X is being actively blocked.

Information Minister Jerry Silaa acknowledged the situation in parliament, ensuring that the compromised government accounts had been secured. Government spokesman Gerson Msigwa issued a stern warning to those behind the malicious acts, asserting that action was in progress.

The access issues arise amidst growing controversy surrounding the recent deportation of several prominent Kenyan activists, which occurred just as they planned to attend a treason trial involving opposition leader Tundu Lissu. President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed her intention to safeguard the nation from external meddling, while security forces arrested two other activists—Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan Agather Atuhaire—whose current conditions and locations remain unknown. Mwangi's wife expressed deep concern for his welfare, given the lack of communication since his arrest. Meanwhile, the president of the Tanganyika Law Society, representing mainland lawyers, affirmed that legal advocates are monitoring the developments closely to ensure a fair resolution regarding the detained activists.