Did Tanzania’s President Jail Opposition Party And Suspend X?
On October 21, 2025, an X user posted an image of the president of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan along with the claim that she had jailed at least seven opposition party leaders and senior officials from the main opposition party, a few days before elections. The post further stated that the microblogging platform, X, had been shut down, as a measure to censor information spread.
When this report was published, the post had over 3,100 views and about 80 replies, reposts, quotes, likes and bookmarks. In the comment section, @MazibiyeLiberty said “She is paranoid” while @Daniel118600672 wrote “She is a proxy for the Arab states. Tanzania has way too much of Muslim/Arabic influence.”
VERIFICATIONS
CLAIM 1: Tanzania’s President Jail Opposition Party Leaders And Its Senior Officials A Few Days Before Elections
VERIFICATION
CHADEMA, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo, founded in 1992, is one of Tanzania’s major opposition parties. It advocates for democracy, social justice, and good governance, and has been a leading challenger to the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, CCM, party since the country’s return to multiparty politics.
Between August 11–12, 2024, the Tanzanian police detained more than 500 CHADEMA supporters, including senior leaders Freeman Mbowe and Tundu Lissu. The arrests were linked to a planned youth gathering in Mbeya, which authorities had banned. These leaders were released on bail the next day August 13, 2024, after interrogation.
On September 23, 2024, Mbowe, Lissu and other CHADEMA officials were again taken into custody ahead of a planned protest in Dar es Salaam. According to a report by Deutsche Welle, those arrested subsequently were released on bail.
The leader of the main opposition party, Tundu Lissu, chairman of CHADEMA, was arrested on April 9, 2025 after a rally, and charged with treason. Additional reports show that on April 24, 2025, two senior CHADEMA officials were reportedly arrested en route to a hearing and their whereabouts were unknown.
There has been no report if these officials have been released on bail.
VERDICT
The claim that Tanzania’s President has locked up at least seven opposition party leaders and senior officials from the main opposition party a few days before elections is MISLEADING. The number of those arrested to date exceeds 500, all of whom have been released on bail. Only three senior officials of the opposition party, CHADEMA, were recently arrested and are yet to be released.
CLAIM 2: Tanzania President Shut Down X As A Measure To Censor Information Spread
VERIFICATION
Tanzania blocked access to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, in May 2025 after the official police account was hacked and used to post false statements, including bogus claims that the President had died. Human-rights organisations like the African Freedom of Expression Exchange, described the shutdown as an arbitrary, disproportionate restriction of access, and part of a broader pattern of digital repression.
Similarly, on June 4, 2025, the Tanzanian government formally stated that it suspended or blocked the service because X allegedly hosted “pornographic and same-sex content, contrary to our laws, culture, customs and traditions.” The Minister of Information, Communications and ICT, Jerry Silaa, confirmed that X’s failure to submit to Tanzanian regulatory oversight was a key reason for its suspension.
VERDICT
The shutdown of X as a measure to censor the spread of information is MISLEADING. The Tanzanian government has blocked access to X nationwide since May 2025 after the official Tanzanian police account was hacked and used to post false statements. Regarding the ongoing suspension, the Minister of Information, Communications and ICT, Jerry Silaa, insists that X’s failure to submit to Tanzanian regulatory oversight was a key reason for the current suspension.
CONCLUSION
From the checks, both claims are MISLEADING. Available evidence confirms that while the number of individuals arrested from the opposition party, CHADEMA exceeds 500, only three senior officials are currently in custody. Similarly, social media platform X , has been suspended since May 2025, following the hack of Tanzania’s official police account. While human rights organisations describe the move as arbitrary, the government claims that X’s failure to submit to Tanzanian regulatory oversight was a key reason for the subsequent suspension.
