Larry Madowo Receives Threats After CNN Exposes Tanzanian Police Killings

Kenyan journalist and CNN correspondent Larry Madowo has faced severe harassment and threats from a section of Tanzanian citizens following the broadcast of his documentary detailing alleged police killings in the country.

The controversial exposé, which required several weeks of careful verification to confirm its authenticity, featured disturbing video footage showing unarmed civilians being shot by Tanzanian security personnel.

The Documentary and Government Response

The CNN report was aired globally despite the Tanzanian government’s attempts to suppress information by closing media outlets and limiting internet access. Madowo had actively urged Tanzanian citizens, journalists, and human rights advocates to share videos documenting the violence, ensuring the footage reached his network.

In the wake of the report, the Tanzanian government publicly disputed the documentary’s factuality and heavily criticized the media personality.

Mixed Public Reaction

The exposé elicited a deeply mixed reaction among the Tanzanian populace. While many citizens and human rights activists celebrated Madowo for his bravery in telling the story—with some even launching a campaign using his picture as their social media profile photo—a highly disgruntled, pro-government section hit back with targeted abuse.

Madowo shared screenshots of the harsh messages he had received from this faction, captioning one tweet:

“Majirani wametumwa kunisalimia (Neighbours have been sent to attack me).”

The messages included abusive language and severe threats directed at the journalist. One text specifically stated:

“We will fight you, and we have put strategies in place to catch you even after 29 years, as you continue to ruin our country, Tanzania, you will know what it means to be born.” (Original Swahili: “Tutakufira wewe na tumekuwekea mikakati tutakupata hata miaka 29 wewe unavyo chafuwa nchi yetu Tanzania, utajua kuzaliwa kweye.”)

Madowo’s public documentation of the threats underscores the high personal risk involved in critical investigative journalism in the region.