Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu has been charged with treason following his arrest on April 9, 2025, in Mbinga, southern Tanzania. Lissu was transferred to Dar es Salaam and interrogated at the Central Police Station on April 10, 2025, and later brought to Kisutu Court.
At the Kisutu Court, he faced two cases, the treason case and the case for publishing false information. Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 when his car was spread with 36 bullets from assassins, joked with people as he was waiting to be brought inside courtroom, ‘I can’t use this door, I’am not a judge’, he joked with a group of reporters and party supporters as he was waiting to be brought inside the court.
READ: Tanzania’s Opposition Leader Tundu Lissu Arrested in Mbinga, Southern Tanzania
The prosecutors charged him with treason, citing his April 03, 2025, remarks at the CHADEMA’s offices in Mikocheni. Lissu was addressing a group of party aspirants for the upcoming general election of 2025, where he emphasized the party meant what it said regarding the ‘no reforms, no election’ stance.
Through rallies and other platforms, Lissu has maintained that the party will neither boycott nor participate in the election but stop it. Lissu has dubbed Tanzanian elections a ‘slaughterhouse’ due to a myriad of issues, including violence against its supporters, where in the 2024 civic election, two local government election candidates were killed from their homes.
READ: Reports of Violence, Fake Ballots Dominate Local Govt Elections Exercise in Tanzania
The Court did not have jurisdiction to hear the treason case, so Lissu was not required to say anything, and the case was only mentioned. The second case had three counts for publishing false information. The prosecutors highlighted three statements from Lissu, all made on April 03, 2025. First, it was his statement regarding the disqualification of candidates where he was quoted as saying, ‘In the 2024 local government election, CHADEMA candidates were disqualified at the directive of the President.’
The second statement that prosecutors referred to is: ‘Police are being used in ballot stuffing, they come with bags. The last statement that prosecutors highlighted is Lissu’s take on judges: ‘Judges are CCM members they can’t deliver justice because they are looking for appointments and promotion to the Court of Appeal.’
The case was adjourned until April 24, 2025, as the investigation has been concluded. The investigation on the treason case is yet to be concluded.
One Response
Where is treason here? Did he plot to topple the government? Looks like strategy to keep him in custody and deny him electoral rights. Can we have enlightenment from experts?