Event Summary
On 6 September 2025, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) suspended JamiiForums’ Online Content License for 90 days and ordered immediate blocking of access to the platform, citing violations of the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations (Amended in 2022 and 2025). The suspension followed JamiiForums’ publication of politically sensitive content, including statements by politician Humphrey Polepole alleging improper acquisition of the Ngaka coal mine by businessman Rostam Aziz, and coverage of meetings between President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo. TCRA claimed the platform failed to verify images, seek comment from relevant authorities, and moderate user content deemed offensive to the President and contrary to national values. In response, JamiiForums blocked access to its platform in Tanzania, while publicly disagreeing with the regulator’s decision, arguing it undermines freedom of expression and access to information.
To note is that the suspension came at a critical moment in the electoral cycle where critical voices need an independent platform and will continue until 6 December 2025, which is roughly one month after the General Election scheduled for 29 October 2025. The incident has had a chilling effect on digital civic space, particularly for platforms that facilitate public discourse and government accountability. The suspension disrupts JamiiForums’ operations and silences a key outlet for civil society engagement, affecting freedom of expression and access to a secure digital environment. It also raises concerns about the selective enforcement of content regulations and the broader implications for media independence and civic participation in Tanzania. Without transparent redress mechanisms, this action risks setting a precedent for further restrictions on online civic platforms.
This incident is part of an ongoing pattern in which media outlets have faced shutdowns, especially newspapers such as Raia Mwema and Uhuru, as well as the suspension of Mwananchi’s online publishing license. Similarly, television and radio stations like Clouds TV and Clouds FM have previously been suspended for allegedly violating the Code on Political Party Elections Broadcasting.