Tanzanian activist blocked from Instagram after mobilising election protests

Prominent Tanzanian activist Mange Kimambi has accused the government of instigating the removal of her social media accounts which she was using to mobilize Tanzanians against the government.

The US-based former model-turned-activist is an outspoken critic of President Samia Suluhu Hassan and has nearly three million followers on Instagram.

She has been accused of inciting the recent deadly protests during the elections, sparking calls for her arrest.

A spokesperson for Meta told the BBC that her Instagram accounts had been “removed for violating the recidivism policy.” Tanzanian government spokesman Gerson Msegwa told the BBC that it must “provide evidence of its claims.”

“We don’t allow people to create new accounts similar to those we previously removed for violating our Community Standards,” said Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.

In what is believed to be a reference to Kimambi last month, Tanzanian Attorney General Hamza Johari said it was “impossible” how “one person outside the country” could direct people on social media.

“[She is] Just telling people to do things like this [protest] “They already did it and she started bragging… We should arrest her,” he said.

Widespread protests erupted in the wake of disputed elections on 29 October, which Samia won by almost 98% after her main opponents were unable to run – Tundu Lissu was arrested for treason, while Luhaga Mbena was banned on a technicality.

Opposition and human rights groups believe hundreds of people were killed in the ensuing crackdown by security officers. The government did not announce any casualty figures.

Despite widespread international condemnation, Samia has since defended the use of force as “necessary” against protesters who “were prepared to overthrow the government.”

Samia said on Monday that her government is ready to confront the demonstrators in the new protests scheduled to be held on Tuesday next week.

Kimambi noted that on the same day her accounts were removed, the accounts of another prominent Tanzanian activist, Maria Sarungi, were restricted.

“I believe this provides further evidence that Meta may have been pressured by the Tanzanian government to silence voices speaking out on behalf of the people,” she wrote on her X account, which is still available.

It also asked US President Donald Trump to urge Meta to return its pages.

“For months, I have used my platforms to highlight these issues and have consistently encouraged peaceful protests, as many Tanzanians feel there is no safe alternative to expressing dissent,” she said.

The removal of Kimambi’s accounts comes as the United States says it is reviewing its relationship with Tanzania, citing growing concerns about democratic backsliding and human rights.

In a statement issued by the State Department on Thursday, Washington accused the Tanzanian government of suppressing religious freedom and freedom of expression, blocking American investments, and failing to prevent violence before and after the October 29 elections.

It says these actions have put American citizens, tourists, and interests at risk and threaten decades of security and development cooperation.

“The future of our bilateral relationship will depend on the government’s actions,” the statement read.

The Tanzanian authorities have not yet responded.

Popularly known as Dada and the Sister Nation cult, Kimambi built her influence primarily through her social media platforms and began her campaign against the Tanzanian government during the presidency of the late John Magufuli in 2016.

Two years later, she tried unsuccessfully to mobilize nationwide protests against his government.

In 2021, she publicly changed her stance and supported Samia when she took office after Magufuli’s death, even though they both belonged to the CCM party that has ruled Tanzania since independence. Kimambi even attended Samia’s first official visit to the United States, where they were photographed together.

However, that relationship later deteriorated, and Kimambi is now using the same platform to harshly criticize President Samia and her administration.

Her critics reject her political activism and accuse her of using offensive language when criticizing the president and other senior government officials.

Kimambi is already facing charges of economic sabotage, which appeared in court in Dar es Salaam on Thursday. The case was postponed to January 28, with prosecutors saying the matter was still under investigation.

She faces a money laundering charge in the case involving more than $56,000 (£42,000) allegedly the proceeds of crime obtained about three years ago.

She allegedly earned money by working as an unaccredited journalist, and obtained the money through intimidation. The case was initially filed on August 28, alleging that she received the funds in 2022.

In a post on her Instagram page, before she became unavailable, she dismissed the issue as “cooked up,” adding that she “will not change her view of the president.”

She said that the case is linked to her account with a Tanzanian bank containing $40,000. She claimed that her last transaction in the account was in 2023 and it was frozen last year.

The government did not respond to accusations that the charges were politically motivated, and had previously asked the BBC to refer the case to court.

In several of her recent Instagram posts, Kimambi called on Tanzanians to resist the administration and participate in protests, including those scheduled for December 9. She also shared photos of the aftermath of the election protests.