Disappearance of Azory Gwanda

In September 2018 Gwanda received the Daudi Mwangosi Award for courage in journalism from the Union of Tanzania Press Club.

In November 2018 two representatives of the Committee to Protect Journalists were detained in Tanzania while studying threats to journalists in the country, including Gwanda's disappearance.

The disappearance of Azory Gwanda (born ca. 1975 – disappeared November 21, 2017) is about a Tanzanian journalist for Mwananchi Communications Ltd in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, who mysteriously disappeared in late 2017 from his home near Kibiti, Rufiji District, Pwani Region, Tanzania.

Gwanda has not been heard from since his disappearance in November 2017. He was last seen by his wife Ana Pinoni on their farm outside of Kibiti in a Toyota Land Cruiser with unknown men, claiming he was leaving on emergency business while also requesting that she hand over the keys to the house. After Gwanda's departure with the men, Pinoni returned to find the house ransacked, indicating it had been thoroughly searched. Previously, Gwanda had been approached by the strange men at his place of work. They had told him they wanted to speak with him and forced him into the car. Two hours later, Gwanda and the men arrived at his house in Kibiti. Initially, Gwanda's partner was not concerned about his sudden departure, but when he failed to return home or answer calls for two days she went to the local authorities. Mwananchi Communication Limited said it had no information as to where Gwanda had been taken, or why. Although there are small bits of information collected that illustrate the events leading up to the disappearance, no clear evidence has been gathered that may reveal where he is located.