Larry Madowo Breaks Silence On Viral Statement From Impersonator
CNN International Correspondent Larry Madowo has denounced as false a viral Facebook post saying he has received threats from high Tanzanian officials over his media work.
The article, written in poor Swahili and shared on the Facebook page ‘Jafa Love Story’, claims to depict Madowo stating that unspecified Tanzanian officials want him killed for exposing corruption.
The fraudulent statement also requested cash contributions to an NBC bank account.
“After receiving many threats and insults from some Tanzanians, I have decided it is better to visit my parents so they can at least give me their blessings,” part of the post reads.
Madowo posted a screenshot of the message on X, captioning it simply: “This is not me.”
⚠️ This is not me pic.twitter.com/NbHriyalZb
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) November 28, 2025
He did not provide any other information, but the brief remark was an unambiguous denial of authorship in the face of increasing misinformation targeting him in recent weeks.
The false post surfaced a week after Madowo published an explosive CNN investigation suggesting that Tanzanian police killed demonstrators following a disputed presidential election on October 28.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98% of the vote, but opposition politicians and witnesses interviewed by CNN reported a lethal crackdown characterized by disproportionate force and disappearance.
It's been a week since we released our Tanzanian investigation.
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) November 28, 2025
The government has attacked CNN's reporting in two separate press conferences but did not point out a single lie. They have still not responded to our questions pic.twitter.com/gkfYemh35g
The Tanzanian government slammed CNN’s reporting in two consecutive press conferences.
Officials accused CNN of bias and misinformation, but did not identify any particular falsehoods in the documentary.
Gerson Msigwa, a government spokeswoman, released a brief statement stating that a detailed official reaction would be provided after evaluating the report.
Over a week later, authorities have neither released the promised rebuttal nor responded to follow-up questions submitted by the CNN team.
European MPs have voted to block funding to Tanzania and to consider sanctions against powerful people behind human rights violations.
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) November 27, 2025
Our latest report on CNN keeps the international spotlight on Tanzania pic.twitter.com/1dgeRm2sSw
The investigation has drawn international attention to Tanzania’s human rights record, prompting political reactions abroad.
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On November 27, members of the European Parliament voted to block certain EU funds to Tanzania.
The EU urged the European Commission to consider sanctions against individuals believed to be responsible for rights violations highlighted in the CNN report.
As pressure builds both domestically and internationally, Tanzanian authorities are yet to release a death toll or speak about the killings.
They have instead focused on the scale of destruction witnessed during the protests.
Larry Madowo Breaks Silence On Viral Statement From Impersonator
