What We Know So Far About Larry Madowo Vs Tanzania Gov’t Over Alleged Post-Election Killings

Larry Madowo, a prominent CNN journalist, has become central to a major confrontation between international media and the Tanzanian government.

This follows an exclusive CNN investigation into the brutal events surrounding Tanzania's29th October 2025 election.

The report exposed severe post-election violence and alleged attempts to conceal fatalities.

The investigation focused on the chaos that followed the election day. Citizens took to the streets, angered by claims that the election had been unfair.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan secured a win with 98% of the vote amidst boycotts and violence.

Uncovering Police Brutality

The CNN investigation found evidence that police killed protesters in the wake of the vote. Security forces reportedly cracked down hard on citizens.

The report used forensic analysis of videos, satellite imagery, and testimony from more than 100 Tanzanians.

Specific details of the violence emerged. In Arusha, two people died near a single intersection after armed police approached protesters.

One victim, a woman three months pregnant, was shot in the back and fell instantly. She was a breadwinner for her family. Audio analysis confirmed the fatal gunshots came from the direction of the police.

The sheer scale of the violence quickly overwhelmed local infrastructure.

"Four trips with piles of dead bodies taken to the mortuary until it was full, just for others to be piled outside.”

This detail came from an anonymous doctor in Mwanza, Tanzania’s second-largest city. Another hospital morgue in Dar es Salaam was also overwhelmed with bodies spread across the floor.

The Search for Mass Graves

A key element of the exposé was the allegation that police used mass graves to hide the true number of fatalities. Video evidence emerged showing a wide area of freshly turned soil.

This footage corroborated testimony that young men were ordered to dig sites for mass burials.

ALSO READ: CNN Uncovers Mass Grave Signs in Tanzania Following Post-Election Unrests

While CNN stated it could not independently verify the graves’ existence, satellite imagery offered support to the claims.

Imagery of a cemetery before and after the protests reportedly showed disturbance in the soil. The main opposition party suggested that as many as 2,000 people were killed during the weeklong protests.

Government Resistance and Official Response

The Tanzanian government made efforts to stop the story before publication.Furthermore, CNN asked the government and police for commentprior to broadcasting, but did not receive a response to their detailed questions.

Following the documentary’s release, the government issued a Public Notice on 21st November 2025. They acknowledged the CNN documentary concerning the 29th October events.

“The Government is currently reviewing and verifying the contents of the documentary. An official response will be issued upon completion of this assessment.”

Madowo countered this statement, saying that the Tanzanian government was adamant to give their side of the story when he reached out to them before releasing the expose.

“The Tanzanian government didn’t respond to our detailed questions before we published. Now they’re saying this. They tried to block this story from getting out. But we’re telling it to the world,” Madowo posted.

In separate remarks, the government dismissed the opposition’s death toll figure as "hugely exaggerated".President Hassan has launched an inquiry commission into the unrest.

However, she caused further controversy by suggesting that protesters were paid to take to the streets.

Solidarity Goes Viral

Following the broadcast of the investigation, Tanzanians launched a major social media solidarity campaign. Many users began changing their profile pictures to use Larry Madowo’s photo. The journalist quickly became a viral phenomenon.

Larry Madowo was trending in Tanzania. Social media users expressed support, with comments in both English and Swahili suggesting acceptance and completion of the challenge to show solidarity.

One commenter praised the reporter for "covering without fear or favour," championing the role of the free press.