Tanzanian Home Affairs Minister Innocent Bashungwa has made a strong call to the police to deal firmly with Tanzanians sharing social media content created outside the country that paints President Samia Suluhu in a negative way.
While presenting his ministry’s 2025/26 budget on Monday, May 26, Bashungwa asked the police to work closely with the Tanzanian Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to identify and take action against citizens spreading such content.
He stated that even if the content is created outside Tanzania, the act of sharing it locally amounts to cyberbullying and should not be tolerated.
According to Kenyans.co.ke, Bashungwa stressed that Members of Parliament who were present during his speech have witnessed the development efforts of President Suluhu and should join in defending her reputation.
The minister expressed concern that Tanzanians were taking part in spreading foreign activist content online with the aim of shaming their president.
He directed the Inspector General of Police, Camillus Wambura, to keep up the ongoing efforts with TCRA in identifying and punishing those involved. Bashungwa made it clear that Tanzanians should not be the ones helping to spread damaging content made in other countries, as doing so only harms the nation.
He went further to instruct police commanders and other authorities to assess any challenges in this process and take them to Parliament for support. His remarks came at a time when tensions between Kenya and Tanzania are rising.
On the same day, several Tanzanian MPs launched harsh criticism towards Kenya, accusing Kenyan youth of spreading hate through social media under the pretense of democracy. Iringa Urban MP Jesca Msambatavangu called upon President William Ruto to take action, saying that Kenyans are not only attacking their own leaders but are now targeting leaders in neighboring countries like Tanzania.
Msambatavangu stated that Tanzanian lawmakers were worried about the internal state of Kenya and how protests had recently escalated, with citizens clashing with police.
She added that Tanzanians respect Ruto but believe that what is happening online is no longer democratic behavior.
Pandani MP Maryam Omar Said stirred more controversy by expressing regret that Kenyan human rights leader Martha Karua and others were deported without being punished, following their arrival in Tanzania to observe the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Karua, Gloria Kimani, and Lynn Ngugi were deported within six hours of arriving at the Julius Nyerere International Airport. A day later, former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Hussein Khalid, and Hanifa Adan were also deported.
Meanwhile, activist Boniface Mwangi, who was able to enter Tanzania, was later reported missing and allegedly tortured. His disappearance and detention sparked anger across Kenya and led to an online war of words between citizens of the two countries.
Many Kenyan youth strongly criticized President Suluhu, further deepening the rift. What started as a diplomatic concern has now grown into a wider regional standoff, with serious implications for the future relationship between Kenya and Tanzania.
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