Activist Mange Kimambi Accuses Meta of Bowing to State Pressure After Her Accounts Were Blocked

Tanzanian activist Mange Kimambi has accused Meta of blocking and restricting her social media accounts after what she claims was pressure from authorities following recent unrest in Tanzania. 

In a statement posted on X, Kimambi said three of her accounts were targeted on Meta-owned platforms, with two removed and one restricted.

Kimambi, a prominent online critic of the Tanzanian government, alleged that the restrictions followed heightened calls for accountability after incidents of unrest and chaos reported across the country. 

She said she was aware of the alleged pressure even before Meta issued a public statement on the matter.

According to her account, Meta explained that it had faced direct pressure from Tanzanian government authorities to act on the pages or risk being banned in the country. 

Instagram and Facebook remain the only major global social media platforms currently accessible in Tanzania, after other services faced varying levels of disruption in recent years.

Kimambi argued that the company should not have complied, saying Meta risked enabling actions that could limit public debate. 

She referenced X’s past decision to decline similar requests, describing it as an example of how tech companies can protect freedom of expression in politically tense environments.

“The government under the illegitimate President Samia Suluhu is unlikely to ban the one remaining platform that the public heavily relies on,” she wrote. “Meta should not bow to political pressure that suppresses dissent.”

She urged Meta to reinstate all affected accounts, insisting that the company should allow events in Tanzania to be influenced solely by government actions, not platform decisions. 

Kimambi added that global platforms should adopt consistent standards when dealing with political criticism, especially during periods of public scrutiny.

The activist’s claims come at a time when digital rights groups across East Africa have raised concerns about increased monitoring, restrictions, and takedowns of online content linked to political commentary. 

In Kenya, similar debates have emerged during election periods, with civil society calling for transparency in how social media companies respond to state requests.