#internet-blackout

#internet-blackout

The vote is taking place under an internet blackout and a heavy military presence. Hundreds of activists have been detained, and journalists and human rights groups face restrictions, measures the government calls necessary for security. On Tuesday, the Uganda Communications Commission told mobile operators and internet service providers that the blackout was imposed on the "strong recommendations" of security agencies.

Normally, the Namanga One-Stop Border Post is a place of commerce, a busy artery connecting the ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. But in the days following the recent disputed election in Tanzania, it became the flashpoint of a regional democratic crisis. As protests erupted over the exclusion of opposition candidates in the polls amid allegations of vote-rigging, young activists from neighboring Kenya attempted to cross the border not with goods, but with a message of solidarity.

Violent demonstrations broke out in Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam, as the country held an election on Wednesday. Samia Suluhu Hassan, the president, is expected to strengthen her grip on the country against the backdrop of rapidly intensifying repression and the exclusion of opponents from the presidential contest. Social media videos show protesters throwing rocks at police, and a petrol station burning.