Watch social media to curb unrest on Sunday police told

Musoma. Musoma residents of Musoma municipality have asked the police’s cybercrime unit to keep a keen eye on the social media space to prevent civil unrest during and after this Sunday's General Elections.

Speaking to The Citizen today residents said they have witnessed the flow of ‘too much’ false information through social media during the campaigns but no appropriate measures were being taken to control stop it.

They fear that if the situation is not arrested it may lead to chaos.

One of the residents, Emmanuel Ndaro expressed fears that some malicious people might use the decision of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to post presidential election results at polling centres to spread false results and create unnecessary anxiety.

“NEC’s decision is good but with the current situation I am concerned that some people might use the opportunity to mislead the society and cause confusion,” he said

His plea was echoed by another resident Mr Muhere Muhere who asked the authorities to make sure the society is protected from receiving misleading information from social media to avert unnecessary inconveniences and conflicts.

This year’s elections have prompted an unpecedented activity in the social media, the web generally as campaigns propagate their policies and propaganda, citizens exchange ideas and others inform the citizenry of whatever is happening in the campaigns.

Some culprits already face charges in court of spreading false information and insulting others through social media. But observers say the authorities seem overwhelmed by the sheer volumes of malpractices in the internet.