Larry Madowo Explains Why He Is Not Covering Tanzania’s 2025 General Elections.
Madowo’s comments join a growing chorus of criticism over the country’s sustained crackdown on independent journalism, particularly in the period of elections.
“When journalists can’t do their work without fear or governmental control, that undermines the credibility of the information reaching the public,” Madowo said. Photo/courtesy
By Ruth Sang
CNN International Correspondent Larry Madowo has announced that he will not be reporting on Tanzania’s general elections, citing ongoing restrictions placed on foreign and independent journalists by the Tanzanian government.
In a video published on Thursday, October 30, 2025, Madowo said that all foreign journalists must get special accreditation from the government to cover any news event in the country. Such permissions are rarely granted, making it virtually impossible for global media houses to operate freely in Tanzania.
“Why am I not covering the elections in Tanzania? The reason is rather simple: Tanzania does not welcome independent or critical journalism,” Madowo said in the video posted on his social media pages. He added that the restrictions have discouraged many international reporters from covering major political events in the country.
The journalist further described the process for media accreditation as being excessively bureaucratized and intentionally restrictive. He said that the Tanzanian government requires foreign correspondents to seek prior clearance through official channels, but that the system is often slow, opaque, and in most cases unresponsive. “To work there as a foreign journalist, I need government-issued accreditation. But in practice, Tanzania has consistently declined to issue such permits,” he remarked.
Madowo added that the media environment in Tanzania is not yet different from what it was during the late President John Magufuli, who had a stern hand on press freedom and any form of dissent. He said that even with a new head of state, the restrictions on journalists, both local and international, are still widespread.
He added that press freedom is central in democratic elections, and inability by independent journalists to operate freely raises questions of transparency and accountability in the electoral process. “When journalists can’t do their work without fear or governmental control, that undermines the credibility of the information reaching the public,” Madowo said.
For years, international organizations have called on Tanzania to ease its tight media laws and give more freedom to local and foreign reporters. Madowo’s comments join a growing chorus of criticism over the country’s sustained crackdown on independent journalism, particularly in the period leading up to elections. The statement has sparked conversations online, with many concerned about the state of media freedom in Tanzania and how that might affect the integrity of the 2025 general elections.
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