Tanzania VP Mpango orders police to intensify online monitoring ahead of October election
VP Mpango stressed that campaign events should only take place at approved venues and times, that unauthorised protests must be stopped, and that all candidates should be protected regardless of their political views.
Tanzania’s Vice-President Philip Mpango has directed local police to intensify monitoring of online activity ahead of the country’s general election set for October.
Speaking at a meeting of senior police officers in Moshi on August 11, Mpango urged the force to work closely with the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and other government agencies to swiftly identify and act against online content that could incite violence or spread misinformation before the vote.
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According to Mpango, technologies such as artificial intelligence could be used to create fake images and videos of political candidates, potentially threatening the nation’s peace and stability.
“The police force must be fully prepared to conduct cyber patrols and take prompt legal action,” Mpango said, according to The Citizen.
He also called for close cooperation with all election stakeholders, including the election commission, political parties, community leaders, activists, and observers.
Approved campaign venues
Mpango stressed that campaign events should only take place at approved venues and times, that unauthorised protests must be stopped, and that all candidates should be protected regardless of their political views.
Additionally, he urged police to enforce election laws fairly and reminded citizens not to take the law into their own hands. He further instructed the police to work with anti-corruption bodies to combat election-related bribery and fraud.
The vice-president highlighted the importance of community policing and collaboration with local leaders to maintain peace at the grassroots level.
Inspector General of Police Camillus Wambura told the gathering that the country’s security situation is stable and that police are ready to ensure order throughout the election period.
Heightened political tensions
President Samia Suluhu’s administration is preparing for the polls amid heightened political tensions and a narrowing democratic space.
The main opposition party, CHADEMA, has been barred from contesting, while its leader, Tundu Lissu, is in prison facing treason charges over his campaign for electoral reforms.
His “no reforms, no elections” campaign was ruled by the courts as an attempt to disrupt the polls, resulting in additional charges of incitement and spreading false information.
Since multiparty politics began in 1995, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has won every election, frequently accused of using state power, intimidation, and manipulation to maintain its dominance.
Rights groups say political freedoms have sharply deteriorated in recent months.
This year, NGO Freedom House downgraded Tanzania from “Partly Free” to “Not Free,” a move observers see as a sign of the country’s shift toward authoritarian rule.
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