“He’s Still Alive”: The Africa Report’s Polepole Death Claim Met with Heavy Scepticism in Tanzania Despite Zero Counter-Evidence
Ujasusi Blog’s East Africa Monitoring Team | 12 October 2025 | 0410 BST
The Africa Report’s October 11, 2025 exclusive report claiming that abducted former Tanzanian Ambassador Humphrey Polepole died shortly after his October 6, 2025 kidnapping from serious injuries sustained during the attack has triggered a wave of scepticism and accusations in Tanzania that reveals a troubling disconnect between public outrage and substantive action. Despite The Africa Report’s standing as one of Africa’s most reputable international news outlets, many Tanzanians have rejected the report—not with counter-evidence or alternative narratives, but with accusations that the publication is colluding with the regime to discourage participation in planned October 29, 2025 demonstrations.
This assessment examines the credibility of The Africa Report’s reporting against Tanzania’s documented pattern of enforced disappearances, analyses the nature and substance of public scepticism, and evaluates what this response reveals about civic engagement in an environment of systematic state repression.
Critical Assessment: