Dar es Salaam. Recently, there has been a sharp increase in political content debates and campaign messages appearing on Instagram, a trend that was once more associated with X, formerly Twitter, to the point where it became known as the “Twitter Republic.”
On Instagram, two major political campaigns have witnessed gaining momentum in an unprecedented way, even affecting some well-known users of the platform. Many have found themselves drawn into the campaigns or forced to adjust their page settings to control the flood of political content and debates.
The two notable campaigns fueling this shift are CHADEMA’s “No Reform, No Election” and CCM’s “Oktoba Tunatiki.” These campaigns have significantly changed the nature of Instagram, which had largely been a space for personal lifestyle photos, entertainment, and sports content.
In previous years, such campaigns and heated debates would have been expected on X, whose structure is designed for conversations. In Tanzania, that has long been the case: most national political debates started on X before spreading to other platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
READ MORE: No Reforms, No Election Takes Over Tanzania’s Social Media
In the past, X whose users referred to themselves as the ‘Twitter Republic’ was even recognized by political leaders as a hub of political discourse. On July 5, 2022, during a reception for the under-17 Serengeti Girls football team, the President of United Republic of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan mentioned: “Out there on social media, there is a Twitter Republic.”
Yet, despite the surge of political content on Instagram, some experts argue it cannot replace X.
Speaking to The Chanzo, Asha Abinallah, Director of TMC and a digital rights activist, said Instagram cannot take the place of X. Instead, the current wave of political content simply reflects citizens’ feelings about ongoing events.
“Twitter [X] makes it easy to spread messages and agendas widely and convey what is called ‘citizen urgency’ when there is an activist or social issue at hand,” Asha explained.
This same point about X’s unique role is echoed by political analyst and international relations expert Thomas Kibwana, who says Instagram’s design cannot substitute for X’s function in hosting serious political debates.
“Twitter [X] was created for discussions, while Instagram was created for sharing photos and personal updates,” Kibwana said. “Twitter’s system allows debates—you can retweet and spread content. Instagram has now added a repost feature, but you cannot write much without an image. Even if you post text only, its system doesn’t encourage debate, only short comments.”
READ MORE: Is Twitter Replacing Street Protests in Tanzania?
Several reasons are linked to the rise of political content on Instagram, among them the government’s recent shutdown of X, citing immoral and culturally inappropriate content.
According to Zaituni Njovu, Director of Zaina Foundation, the trend should be viewed as citizens finding alternatives whenever authorities restrict them.
“Whenever you block people—if you close this door, they will find another door. Many have turned to Instagram, making it increasingly popular in Tanzania,” said Zaituni.
Asha shares this view, noting the rise of a group of commentators now using Instagram pages to express dissatisfaction, especially on political matters.
Kibwana, however, believes the surge in political content on Instagram is tied more to the election year than to the shutdown of X.
“It’s because this is an election year. After the elections, political content on Instagram will fade, and the platform will return to its usual discussions,” Kibwana said.
Data in 2022 showed that about 2.6 million people accessed Instagram daily, compared to about 600,000 on X. Still, despite its smaller user base, X was the core hub of national debates that later spread to other networks.
Before the government banned X in 2024, a campaign led by ruling party youth (UVCCM) leaders and some religious figures had called for the platform’s closure, portraying it as a move to curb online criticism, which was heavily concentrated on X.
However, analysts argue that unlike X, Instagram is unlikely to face such restrictions despite its growing political debates. As Asha explained to The Chanzo:
“Instagram’s design means even an increase in campaign debates wouldn’t justify shutting it down,” she said.
Kibwana agreed, saying the reasons given for banning X were unrelated to political debates, so it is unlikely Instagram will face the same fate.
Many online activists who were once centered on X have now shifted seriously to Instagram, joining activist Mange Kimambi, who has long used the platform and is well known for her harsh and provocative style of criticism.
Despite everything, social media remains a central space for communication and debate in Tanzania. By June this year, data showed that over 54 million SIM cards and fixed lines had been used to access the internet in a three-month period, with smartphone users reaching around 25 million.
This story was contributed by Victoria Kavishe, a The Chanzo reporter based in Dar es Salaam.
