As Zuwena Mohamed, a singer alias Shilole, took to the stage wearing the governing Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party’s emblematic green on a hot September day in Dodoma, Tanzania’s capital, chants and drumbeats filled Jamhuri Stadium.
The 37-year-old posted photos and videos to her 11 million Instagram followers, telling them, “We are seeking votes for our candidate, Mama Samia Suluhu Hassan — our mother,” adding: “We are seeking votes for our candidate, our mother, with all our effort and commitment.”
Her account, which features a profile picture of the president as well as pro-government content, goes beyond simple celebrity support. As Tanzania prepares to vote on October 29th, it represents a significant chapter in the digital battle that is raging.
However, those who believe the election was rigged in favor of the ruling party are using social media platforms as platforms for dissent. In order to avoid being retaliated by the government, many people use anonymous accounts or pseudonyms.
Debates post their online content.
In the nation of 69 million people who registered to vote, there are more than 37 million. However, the primary is currently being challenged by President Hassan’s CCM, Africa’s second-longest-governing party, and its main opposition, Luhaga Mpina, who is the main candidate for president.
Tundu Lissu, the Chadema’s leader, was detained in April and is currently facing treason charges.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International have claimed that the exclusions are a result of a wider crackdown on dissent through harassment, kidnapping, and censorship. This has been refuted by the government (PDF). Government spokesman Gerson Msigwa refuted a September HRW report, saying that concerns about political parties’ ability to participate in political processes ahead of the general election are “unfounded and misleading.” According to Msigwa, the government is “major” concerned about abductions and that it is “committed to human rights, good governance, and fair elections.
Political debates have increasingly taken place online, according to Abel Kinyondo, a political researcher at the University of Dar-es-Salaam, as many Tanzanians fear speaking openly due to potential government reprisals.
He told Al Jazeera, “If you stop people from speaking openly, they will go online where they can hide their identities and be free to say things they wouldn’t dare to do in public.”
“Losing hope,”
TikTok has gained a lot of popularity as a platform for political opinions in a nation with more than 49 million internet users and a majority of the population who is under 18 for the first time.
This week, a TikTok user discovered a page with the hashtag #MO29, which refers to a planned election-day protest. Another joke included the president receiving an award for “best leadership in the water sector”: Tanzania has recently experienced water shortage issues that have caused frequent water shortages.
Human rights activist Ananilea Nkya, who previously worked on X, said on Monday, “I have never seen so many citizens losing hope about the fate of their lives as this year.”
Tanzanians from other countries have also voiced their opposition to the upcoming election by expressing their opposition.
Mange Kimambi, a US-based activist with 2.4 million Instagram followers, has urged Tanzanians to protest on election day, claiming that the electoral commission should have been overhauled.
Tanzanians who are urging one another to join the planned demonstration have shared their calls for protest in large numbers on social media platforms throughout the nation.
The electoral commission has warned that discouraging citizens from voting may constitute a criminal offence, according to local media, without specifically mentioning Kimambi.
In a radio interview, deputy police commissioner David Misime compared the calls for protests on social media platforms to the ability of the authorities to track online activity, noting that even those who create fake accounts can hide.
control over the digital landscape
CCM supporters, like former Miss Tanzania Faraja Nyalandu, are actively campaigning online for the party’s reelection. In a recent Instagram video, Nyalandu described President Hassan as “a compassionate leader who truly works for the people.”
According to Imani Masiga, the party’s digital head, “young people support CCM because of the president’s efforts to empower youth,” adding that influencers are not compensated for their support.
He acknowledged that some famous people may receive “transport or accommodation” at campaign events, but he argued that the majority of them voluntarily participate in rallies.
He added that CCM didn’t restrict online content.
Criticization is present. We can’t expect everyone to back the president, which Masiga said. You’ll find that critics are still active and free if you follow social media closely. We take criticism seriously when it is constructive.
However, Tech &, Media Convergence (TMC), a local digital rights organization, is making every effort to protect information online.
In a report (PDF) released this month, TMC stated that there was “a systematic and intensifying campaign by state authorities to control the pre-electoral information environment. “The digital landscape, which once held the promise of expanding civic participation, is now increasingly viewed as a site of increased state control.
Since May, there have been network disruptions for YouTube and government accounts that have been hacked. The government gave no details on how “online patrols” would operate, but in August the government ordered police to conduct “online patrols” to track down those who “achieve disruption to the peace,” according to local media.
The popular Tanzanian social networking site JamiiForums was suspended by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority for 90 days for posts that “disrespected” the president and the government, according to a statement (PDF) released in September.
According to TMC’s report, the government’s crackdown on social and digital platforms is a result of “increasing online censorship, surveillance, and regulatory pressure that threaten the integrity of the electoral process.”
This is not a series of singular incidents; rather, it is a deliberate effort to manage public discourse, silence dissention, and shrink civic space.
TMC has warned that state-driven narratives can fill the information gap left by silencing independent voices and platforms. According to its report, that eroded pluralism is a possibility that voter apathy will increase.
Today, very few people speak out loudly. According to local media, one who did was Humphrey Polepole, a former CCM insider, who accused the party of conducting a rigged election and claimed the electoral commission had been politically compromised.
He was reportedly abducted from his Dar-es-Salaam home on October 6 shortly after making his allegations public on YouTube and Instagram. According to the police, investigations are raging.
Police patrols have increased on the streets of several cities in recent weeks, a sign that there is increased security in advance of possible demonstrations and elections.
stakes are higher than the screen.
Analysts like Kinyondo urged CCM to concentrate on fulfilling its promises, including promoting better access to healthcare, education, water, electricity, and housing, rather than controlling online narratives.
The most populous country in the East African region, Tanzania, has significant potential for sustainable and inclusive growth, according to the World Bank, given its strategic location and abundance of natural resources.
However, the pace of economic development has slowed, and nearly half the world’s population still resides below the $3 per day poverty line.
It’s like fighting a pig in the mud, Kinyondo said, “You can’t win that battle if CCM starts competing with social media users to produce propaganda.”
“CCM should concentrate on implementing its manifesto and fulfilling its promises, while the opposition should concentrate on opposing.”
Source: Aljazeera
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