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Home News Tanzanian President Uses Banned Platform X for Campaign Messages — The Height of Political Hypocrisy

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Tanzanian President Uses Banned Platform X for Campaign Messages — The Height of Political Hypocrisy

West Africa WeeklyOctober 21, 20251 Mins read1k

Tanzania’s president has come under criticism after posting a series of campaign messages on X (formerly Twitter), despite the platform remaining inaccessible to most citizens in the country.

In one of the posts shared on Tuesday, the president wrote in Swahili: “Nimefurahi kufika tena Sumbawanga na kuona namna panavyoendelea kupiga hatua kubwa za kimaendeleo…” — expressing delight at visiting Sumbawanga in Rukwa Region and praising the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) for its progress ahead of the October 29 elections. He thanked residents for their support and invoked blessings for the people of Rukwa.

The president’s message quickly drew reactions, with several users reposting the tweet and questioning the irony. One widely shared response read:

Let me get this straight, so you banned X in Tanzania so you can enjoy the monopoly of using it? Who are you talking to if your people can’t access Twitter?” Others echoed similar frustrations, accusing the government of hypocrisy for campaigning on a platform ordinary Tanzanians can’t access. Unachekesha sana pia wewe, another user wrote, meaning You’re very funny too.

VIEW TWEET HERE

The exchange has reignited public debate over Tanzania’s ongoing restriction of X, which has been effectively blocked since May 2025 following a wave of cyberattacks on government accounts. Authorities claimed the platform hosted “immoral and culturally offensive content,” though the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has denied issuing an official ban.

Despite this, users nationwide have been forced to rely on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to access the site. Activists and digital rights groups have accused the government of curbing free expression before the election period, while allowing selective access for state officials and ruling party accounts.

Therefore, the president’s latest posts have highlighted the double standard, where ordinary Tanzanians remain locked out of the global conversation, even as their leaders continue to campaign on the same platform.