Larry Madowo unveils plans to expose killings linked to Tanzania’s election unrest
By Steve Ireri, November 7, 2025CNN international correspondent Larry Madowo has announced plans to conduct a detailed investigation into the alleged killings that occurred during Tanzania’s recent election unrest.
In a message shared through his official social media pages on Thursday, November 6, 2025, Madowo revealed that he and his team were preparing a special report focusing on what transpired during and after the controversial elections, amid claims that hundreds of citizens may have been killed in the violence.
Also watch: AU election observers say Tanzania polls marred by glaring irregularities
“Tanzanians, I am asking for your help. We are preparing a CNN report about what happened during and after the elections,” he said.
In his message, he appealed to Tanzanians to assist by submitting first-hand evidence, noting that many journalists in the country had been denied the freedom to report on the events truthfully.
He urged anyone who personally recorded incidents of the violence to share their videos with him privately, clarifying that the footage must be original and not previously circulated by other people.
“Many people have died because of these events, but many journalists in Tanzania have not been given the freedom to tell the truth. So please send me videos if you recorded what happened yourself,” he added.
He explained that the goal was to gather authentic and verifiable information that could help the world understand the depth of the unrest and the human rights violations that reportedly took place.
Also watch: Tanzania opposition accuses police of dumping bodies of slain protesters
Madowo also emphasised that his team was committed to giving voice to victims and witnesses whose stories had been suppressed.
“So please send me videos if you recorded what happened yourself, and make sure it is not footage that was shared by someone else. Send it to me directly in my inbox. Help us investigate what really happened so that we can tell the world,” Larry said.
His appeal follows a wave of international concern over the scale of violence that engulfed Tanzania after the disputed elections.
The country’s main opposition party, Chadema, claimed that more than 700 people were killed in protests across Dar-es-Salaam, Mwanza, and other regions.
The United Nations, however, placed the confirmed number of deaths at ten, while acknowledging that it had received credible reports of further casualties.
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The UN human rights office urged Tanzanian security forces to refrain from excessive use of force and to make every effort to de-escalate tensions.
The unrest erupted after opposition leaders were barred from contesting key seats, sparking widespread demonstrations that were met with heavy police and military crackdowns.
Several areas witnessed fires, gunfire, and internet disruptions as protesters called for electoral reforms and transparency in vote tallying.