Tanzanian student released after exposing water problems

A Tanzanian university student who was arrested on Tuesday for posting a photo about water problems in his institution has been released, according to a local human rights organisation.

University officials picked up Mugaya Tungu from the police station and said the matter would be resolved internally, Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition wrote in a statement.

Mr Tungu snapped the photo of his fellow students queuing up with colourful plastic buckets, and posted it online where it ended up being widely circulated.

He was arrested shortly after that in his room and police did not disclose what he was being charged with.

In his tweet he said it was embarrassing that 56 years after independence university students were still queuing for water.

Two years ago another university student was arrested after posting a picture of a cracked wall at a newly built hostel.

These kinds of incidents have triggered concerns from critics who say civil liberties in Tanzania are declining, especially during the presidency of John Magufuli, an allegation that the government denies.