CNN correspondent Larry Madowo's documentary into killings linked to protests in Tanzania has received a 2026 Salute to Excellence Award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
The award recognizes excellence in journalism and was presented as part of the 2026 NABJ Convention & Career Fair, held in Atlanta, Georgia, from August 12 to 16, 2026.
In a statement on Sunday, August 16, Madowo announced the recognition while acknowledging the significance of the investigation and the people who contributed their accounts to the reporting.
"Our groundbreaking Tanzania investigation won a 2026 Salute to Excellence Award from the (NABJ) National Association of Black Journalists.
"Thanks to all the brave Tanzanians who trusted us with their stories. Thank you very much," he wrote.
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NABJ is a professional nonprofit organization representing journalists and media professionals of color in the United States and beyond.
The NABJ was founded on December 12, 1975, in Washington, D.C., by 44 journalists.
The organization advocates for Black journalists and media professionals while promoting professional development, training, scholarships, fellowships and recognition of outstanding journalism.
The association has more than 4,000 members, including professional journalists, students, educators and other media professionals.
Madowo's documentary uncovered alleged extrajudicial killings, mass graves, and a large-scale cover-up following the country’s October 29, 2025, presidential election.
The documentary, released on Friday, November 20, 2025, drew on on-the-ground reporting, forensic video analysis, geolocated footage, satellite imagery, and witness testimony to challenge the government’s official narrative.
CNN’s reporting documents how police and unidentified armed patrols allegedly responded with lethal force, killing unarmed civilians in Arusha and Dar es Salaam, and later concealing the true scale of deaths through mass burials.
The Tanzanian government initially claimed that only 10-20 people died in riots, while CNN’s evidence indicates a significantly higher toll.
In a statement, the Tanzanian government acknowledged the CNN documentary and stated that it had taken note of its contents.
"The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has taken note of a documentary recently published by CNN regarding the events of 29th October 2025.
“The Government is currently reviewing and verifying the contents of the documentary. An official response will be issued upon completion of this assessment," the statement read.
CNN’s investigation included verified footage of fatal shootings in Arusha, where a pregnant woman was shot in the back while fleeing a police barricade, and a young man was executed at point-blank range.
Forensic frame-by-frame analysis confirmed that neither victim posed any threat, showing protesters only armed with rocks or sticks.
Additional footage from Mwananyamala Hospital in Dar es Salaam shows morgue rooms overwhelmed with bodies stacked from floor to ceiling.
The Health Ministry dismissed the images as fake but CNN cross-checked timestamps, locations, and metadata to validate the footage.
Additionally, satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies further indicated recent digging at Kondo Cemetery in Kunduchi, consistent with alleged mass graves.
