Tanzanian activist Mange Kimambi has urged United States President Donald Trump to help push for the reinstatement of her suspended Meta accounts, alleging that the platforms were disabled shortly after she posted content on political unrest in Tanzania.
Kimambi made the appeal through a public statement released on X, where she outlined her claims and asked the US government to advocate for stronger protections for online activists.
According to Kimambi’s statement, her Instagram pages, WhatsApp line, and associated Meta platforms were taken offline after she shared updates on alleged state abuses during Tanzania’s general election held on October 29.
She stated that her content highlighted claims of kidnappings, killings, and suppression of opposition figures, along with reports of violent confrontations between protesters and security forces.
She added that she consistently called for peaceful demonstrations and used her pages to mobilise Tanzanians who feared expressing dissent publicly.
The activist argued that digital platforms have become critical spaces for civic engagement in East African countries where traditional media faces restrictions.
Kenyan observers will recall similar disputes during past election cycles, when concerns over press freedom and government pressure on digital platforms became central issues.
Kimambi said that many Tanzanians relied on diaspora voices like hers to access information that local outlets were unwilling or unable to publish.
In the statement, Kimambi accused Meta of acting without transparency and suggested the shutdown might have been influenced by Tanzanian authorities.
She cited the restriction of fellow activist Maria Sarungi’s Instagram account within Tanzania on the same day, claiming the development demonstrated a broader effort to curb online activism. Both accounts remained accessible outside Tanzania, but Sarungi’s page could only be viewed locally through a VPN.
Kimambi asked President Trump to call on Meta to restore her accounts and to support legislative measures granting users clearer appeal mechanisms in cases of social-media takedowns.
She argued that activists documenting human-rights violations need stronger safeguards to ensure their work is not disrupted by opaque corporate decisions.
She also maintained that such protections would benefit individuals globally who rely on social platforms for political organizing and communication.