The untold stories of Dar’s homeless youth during October 29 unrest
Homeless youths, sleeping beneath the Kijazi Bridge in Ubungo, Dar es Salaam, used the spot as a refuge during the unrest that erupted in the protests on October 29, 2025.
Dar es Salaam. It was the night of October 29, 2025 in the streets of Ubungo. While most residents were asleep and others desperately seeking safety, 14-year-old Patrick Matano was still wandering the roads in search of a place to hide.
“Some people told me, ‘Boy, it’s time, find somewhere to hide.’ It was around 10 p.m.,” says Matano, one of the homeless youths who sleep in makeshift kiosks around Mwenge.
