Paradigm Initiative (PIN) is supporting an ongoing constitutional case before the High Court of Tanzania challenging the restriction of access to the X platform (formerly Twitter), with a determination expected on May 22, 2026.
The case was filed in 2025 by Tanzanian lawyers Tito Elia Magoti and Kumbusho Dawson Kagine as a public interest constitutional challenge against the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), and the Attorney General. The matter is brought under the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Basic Rights and Duties Enforcement Act, seeking judicial intervention on the constitutionality of state actions restricting access to digital platforms.
The matter arises from restrictions imposed on 20 May 2025, which remain in effect to date, and have rendered the X platform inaccessible to users in Tanzania except through the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), thereby substantially curtailing communication, access to information, and participation in digital civic spaces.
In their petition, the applicants argue that the restriction is unconstitutional as it violates rights guaranteed under Articles 18, 20, and 29 of the Constitution, including the right to freedom of expression, access to information, and freedom of assembly. They further contend that the measures imposed were blanket in nature, disproportionate in their impact, and introduced without public consultation or clear legal justification. According to the court filings, the restriction has interfered with access to public health information, disrupted digital and media-related livelihoods, constrained journalistic work, and undermined civic participation, including the use of X Spaces as a platform for public discourse. The applicants also highlight that requiring users to rely on VPNs places an additional financial and legal burden on citizens while fragmenting communication within the country.
Paradigm Initiative supports the applicants’ position and maintains that restrictions of this nature undermine constitutional guarantees and risk entrenching a precedent of disproportionate state control over digital spaces.
“This case raises a fundamental question about the limits of state power in regulating digital platforms. Where restrictions are imposed, they must meet the constitutional thresholds of legality, necessity, and proportionality. Blanket disruptions of access to widely used platforms threaten not only freedom of expression but also the broader ecosystem of civic participation and access to information,” said ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative.
In response to the petition, the respondents denied claims that restricting access to the X platform in Tanzania is a global concern. They also argue that the restriction on the availability of the X platform in Tanzania is in accordance with the law and aims to ensure public safety, public health, and morals. They further argue that the owner of the X platform was given prior notice of compliance before the action was taken, and that access to the X platform in Tanzania has been restricted due to the owner’s failure to comply with Tanzania’s laws and procedures.
The case remains pending before the High Court of Tanzania, with a determination expected on May 22, 2026. The outcome is expected to clarify the constitutional limits of platform restrictions and will have broader implications for digital rights jurisprudence in Tanzania and across the region.
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