By Ainembabazi Patricia |
In November 2026, Tanzania will be up for its fourth cycle review under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). Ahead of the review, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), and JamiiAfrica made a joint stakeholder submission on the state of digital rights including expression, access to information, assembly and association, privacy, data protection, and gender equality in digital spaces in Tanzania.
The submission recognises the positive steps taken by Tanzania to advance the digital ecosystem since its previous assessment in 2021. Internet connectivity has expanded significantly, and the country has adopted important digital governance measures. These include the enactment of the Personal Data Protection Act, 2022, and the establishment of the Personal Data Protection Commission, reforms to the Media Services Act, and policy initiatives such as the Digital Economy Strategic Framework 2024–2034, and emerging AI governance frameworks.
However, the report finds that these gains have not translated into a freer or safer digital civic space in the country. Repressive laws and regulations continue to be used to restrict online expression, limit publications, silence dissent and elevate censorship. The Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations as amended in 2020 and 2025 still require licensing for online media service providers and grant the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) broad powers to suspend or revoke licences. Vague provisions in the Cybercrimes Act and related laws also continue to criminalise legitimate expression, creating a chilling effect for journalists, bloggers, activists, and ordinary users.
According to the CIPESA, PALU and JamiiAfrica report, several incidents have narrowed the environment for the exercise of online freedoms. Key media and engagement platforms such as the Clubhouse, X (formerly Twitter) and JamiiForums were blocked in 2023 and 2025 respectively. In 2024, Tanzania’s media space was marked by intensified restrictions. TCRA suspended Mwananchi Communications’ online platforms for 30 days on October 2, 2024, against a backdrop of broader restrictions on unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in October 2023.
Particularly concerning were the restrictions imposed during the 2025 general elections. The report notes that Tanzania implemented a nationwide internet shutdown from October 29 to November 3, 2025, cutting off access to major social media and communication platforms. This disrupted the ability of citizens, journalists, and observers to share information, document events, and participate in public debate during a critical democratic moment.
While Tanzania in 2022 enacted the Personal Data Protection Act, which came into force in 2023, its implementation is weakened by restrictions on anonymity and VPN usage, as well as heightened surveillance. Pronouncements by government officials against sharing certain election-related content have fostered fear and self-censorship. For many Tanzanians, especially critics of government and civic actors, legal protections for personal data remain undermined by surveillance-related risks.
The submission also draws attention to the growing threat of Technology-Facilitated Gender-based Violence (TFGBV). Women journalists, politicians, activists, and other public-facing women are increasingly subjected to online harassment, sexualised abuse, doxxing, reputational attacks, and coordinated trolling. These harms were particularly acute around the 2025 elections, when gendered disinformation and intimidation converged with broader restrictions on online speech.
To address these concerns, the report recommends that Tanzania repeals or amends vague and overly broad laws including the Cybercrimes Act and the Online Content Regulations. The report calls for compliance with international human rights standards, discouraging restrictions such as internet shutdowns and platform blocking. It also calls for judicial oversight over surveillance, greater transparency in state requests to technology companies, stronger support for the Personal Data Protection Commission, investment in digital rights literacy, and explicit protections against TFGBV.
Read the full report submission here.