The violence, looting, and large-scale destruction caused by youth gangs on October 29, 2025, have left residents of Mwanza Region without access to key social services, while hundreds of people have lost their jobs and income following the burning and looting of major business areas in Buhongwa.
During the General Election on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, while most citizens were casting their votes to elect new leaders, groups of youth stormed, looted, and set fire to the VETA Vocational Training Centre in Buhongwa.
They also torched two fuel stations—Olypic Petrol and Lake Oil Energies—as well as Empire Store in Igoma, where vehicles parked nearby were also destroyed.
The assailants further vandalized and burned the office of the Buhongwa Ward Executive Officer, stealing office furniture and equipment before setting the building ablaze.
The violence spread to other vital facilities, including Buhongwa Police Station, Super Banco mattress factory, and Vita Foam factory—all of which were completely gutted by fire.
Local authorities and residents say the destruction has caused severe economic setbacks, with hundreds of people rendered jobless and social services disrupted across the region.
“The scale of the damage is devastating. Many young people who worked in these factories and petrol stations have lost their livelihoods overnight,” said a resident of Buhongwa.
Officials say that while peace has been restored in most parts of Mwanza, the process of rebuilding destroyed infrastructure and reviving economic activities will take time, given the extent of the losses.
