"We are seeking votes for our candidate, Mama Samia Suluhu Hassan our mother with all our effort and commitment, the 37-year-old told the crowd, posting photos and videos to her 11 million Instagram followers. Her account, filled with pro-government content including a profile picture of the president, goes beyond simple celebrity support. It is emblematic of an unfolding digital battle as Tanzania prepares to vote on October 29."
"Many expressing dissent are using anonymous accounts or pseudonyms out of fear of government reprisals. More than 37 million people have registered to vote in the country of about 69 million. But two main opposition forces Chadema party and ACT-Wazalendo's main presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina have been barred from the race, leaving President Hassan's CCM, Africa's second-longest-governing party, virtually unchallenged."
Celebrity endorsements and partisan social media campaigns are prominent in Dodoma, where singer Zuwena Mohamed (Shilole) campaigned for President Samia Suluhu Hassan and posted pro-CCM content to millions of followers. Social media also hosts dissenting voices, many using anonymous or pseudonymous accounts due to fear of reprisals. More than 37 million people registered to vote in a country of about 69 million. Two main opposition forces, Chadema and ACT-Wazalendo's presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina, have been barred from the race, leaving CCM virtually unchallenged. Rights groups report harassment, abduction, and censorship; the government denies these allegations and refutes reports.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]