US embassy in Tanzania closed as the country faces internet outage

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

The United States Embassy in Tanzania has declared a temporary closure for two days due to ongoing network problems in the country.

In an official statement, the embassy announced it will not be operational on May 14th and 15th, citing degraded network services caused by a cut submarine cable affecting Tanzania, Kenya, and other nations in East and Southern Africa.

"Due to nationwide network degradation, the embassy will be closed to the public on May 14th and 15th. Consular appointments scheduled for these days will be cancelled and rescheduled. However, the consular section will remain open for visa pickups and emergency cases involving American citizens," stated the embassy.

Several African countries, including Kenya, are grappling with internet connectivity issues following the submarine cable cut.

This has led to slower internet speeds, prompting telecommunications companies like Safaricom to issue warnings to their customers about the disruption.