During the 2025 budget report, Tanzania’s Ministry of Home Affairs revealed for the first time what it terms “online patrol”, a government initiative said to be partly responsible for the reduction in cybercrime incidents, from 865 reported cases in 2023/24 to 748 cases between July 2024 and April 2025.
On June 16, 2025, during the cross-examination of a prosecution witness in the case involving the publication of false information—one of two cases facing Tanzania’s opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, a police inspector, P 22863 John, who works in the online patrol unit, revealed the inner workings of the team tasked with monitoring social media and identifying cybercrimes.
In his testimony, the police inspector explained that the unit operates around the clock in shifts, monitoring social media platforms to detect actions that may constitute cybercrime.
“Your Honor, the duties I perform at the online patrol desk involve monitoring various social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and other networks,” Inspector John told the court in response to a question from State Counsel Nassoro Kituga.
He added: “When conducting online patrols, I visit various social media platforms to identify different criminal offenses committed by users of those networks.”
Inspector John also revealed that he joined the four-man online patrol unit after completing a two-month course on computer hacking and forensic investigation organized by the police in 2020.
Regarding the case, Inspector John stated that after monitoring news pages, he noted that a speech by opposition leader Tundu Lissu contained elements of criminality. He cited Lissu’s claims that police enter voting booths with fake votes in their bags and his assertion that judges serve only to gain promotions from the president and are members of CCM, among other claims.
During the proceedings, the state prosecutor requested that the witness not be cross-examined by the defense team until an expert witness in the case had delivered their testimony, an application the defense opposed, but the court granted. The case has been adjourned to July 1, 2025.
