As Tanzanians went to the polls on Wednesday, a nationwide internet disruption heightened concerns over government control, both online and on the streets.
NetBlocks, an internet access advocacy group, confirmed the blackout on X, noting that “live network data show a nationwide disruption to internet connectivity.” Earlier reports indicated slow connections before service was cut entirely across major cities and rural areas, according to the Associated Press.
The disruption intensified an already tense pre-election atmosphere marked by arrests, bans, and a strong security presence. Amnesty International described the environment as one of fear, verifying “cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial killings ahead of the polls.” The organization warned that such abuses by security forces undermine the legitimacy of the election.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, seeking her first full mandate under the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, cast her vote in Dodoma, urging citizens to participate. However, spot checks across dozens of polling stations indicated low turnout, particularly among younger voters, as opposition voices were muted or imprisoned.
Voting ran from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), with preliminary results expected within 24 hours. The electoral commission has up to seven days to declare final results.
The leader of the main opposition CHADEMA party, Tundu Lissu, remains jailed on treason charges after calling for electoral reforms. Meanwhile, the candidate of the country’s second-largest opposition party was barred from running, narrowing the field in what analysts describe as an already predictable contest.
Despite a 26% increase in registered voters, totaling over 37 million, analysts say political apathy is rising, with many expecting Hassan to “cruise to victory unchallenged.”
Protests organized by CHADEMA on election day were swiftly suppressed. Police dispersed demonstrators in Dar es Salaam’s Kimara Kibo area, while others in Ubungo reportedly set a bus and gas station on fire. President Hassan had earlier warned that “no protests would be allowed.”
For observers, the real story of Tanzania’s election may lie not in the votes cast, but in the voices silenced—both online and offline—as the country joins a growing list of African states where connectivity disruptions accompany contested polls.
