IN SHORT: A video of Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan seemingly praising Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo following his CNN report on the deaths of protesters in Tanzania is circulating on social media. However, it is fake.
Tanzania held its presidential election on 29 October 2025. The election was marred by violence, resulting in deaths and destruction of property.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98% of the vote, but the opposition rejected the results. Nevertheless, she was sworn in for a second term on 3 November.
A few weeks later, Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo reported on election-related deaths in the country for the US-based news network CNN. The report implicated Tanzanian security forces and also exposed sites resembling mass graves, but the government termed the report biased.
After the news broadcast, a video emerged showing Hassan seemingly praising Madowo for the exposé and even “offering” him her daughter in marriage.
“I don't hate Larry Madowo. He is a very good journalist, he is talented, and he does his work with vigour and determination. I am willing to give him my daughter because I heard he is single,” she appears to say in the video.
But is the video legit? We checked.
AI-generated video
We closely examined the video and found signs that it might have been generated using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
The first clue that the video could be AI-generated is the location from which she appears to make the offer. The background suggests Hassan is addressing the United Nations General Assembly. It is improbable that she would make such a statement at the assembly.
Searching for the phrase “Suluhu addressing the UN General Assembly”, we found a video published in September 2021, four years before the Tanzanian elections. We carefully listened to her speech and found no mention of Madowo.
The circulating video combines an authentic clip with AI-generated audio to make it sound like Hassan is talking about Madowo.
The claims heard in the video are false and should not be trusted.
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