Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on August 13, 2025.
Government Ready for Tundu Lissu Treason Trial, Seeks to Halt Livestreaming
Four months after the arrest of Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu, a government lawyers told the court on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, that the case has been filed at the High Court and is ready for trial.
The matter is currently at the committal stage before Kisutu Principal Resident Magistrate Franco Kiswaga. After receiving confirmation from the prosecution, Lissu asked the court to verify that the case had indeed been filed at the High Court. Magistrate Kiswaga confirmed this.
Following that confirmation, the prosecution, led by Principal State Attorney Nassoro Katuga, requested the court to halt the livestreaming of the proceedings going forward. Katuga argued that the move was in line with a witness protection order concerning civilian witnesses in the case.
Lissu opposed the request, stating that the prosecution was misinterpreting the judge’s order. He urged the court to allow the livestreaming to continue.
Magistrate Kiswaga said he would issue an order on the matter on August 18, 2025, but reminded both sides that livestreaming is done at the court’s discretion.
This is the first case in Tanzania’s history to be livestreamed. There is no existing legal framework for such broadcasts; the court decided to do so in this instance broadening its mandate on open court, given the significant national and international interest in the case.
2025 Presidential Bid Reaches 14: DP, SAU and CUF Collect Nomination Forms
On August 13, presidential aspirants from the Democratic Party (DP), Sauti ya Umma (SAU) and the Civic United Front (CUF) collected nomination forms for the presidency from the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Dodoma.
First to arrive in the morning, at around 9:00 a.m., was Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate Abdul Juma Mluya, accompanied by his running mate, Sadoun Abrahman Khatib.
At midday, Sauti ya Umma (SAU) candidate Majalio Paul Kyara and his running mate, Satia Musa Bebwa, collected their forms.
Closing the day’s activity was CUF presidential candidate Gombo Samandito Gombo, alongside his running mate Husna Mohamed Abdalla.
The latest developments bring the total number of candidates who have so far collected nomination forms to 14. The exercise is expected to resume on August 15, 2025.
Criminal Case Against YouTubers ‘Wachokonozi’ Postponed
Meru District Court on Wednesday postponed the criminal case facing the owners of the YouTube channel Wachokonozi, Jackson Kabalo and Joseph Mrindoko, after the prosecution failed to appear in court when it was brought for hearing.
The case will now resume on August 19, 2025, for a preliminary hearing.
The accused are facing two charges of publishing false information contrary to Section 16 of the Cybercrime Act of 2015, and publishing online content without a license, in violation of Section 116(3)(b) of the Electronic and Postal Communications Act, Chapter 306 of the 2020 Revised Edition.
On June 27, 2025, the YouTubers were first arraigned at the Arusha Resident Magistrate’s Court, where they denied both charges and were released on bail. The case was scheduled to proceed on July 21, 2025, but the prosecution requested more time to prepare preliminary arguments, leading the court to release the accused per the law.
Shortly after their release, they were rearrested and taken to the Meru District Court, where they appeared before a Resident Magistrate, and the same charges were read to them again. After hearing arguments from both sides, the magistrate ordered the prosecution to complete investigations by August 13, 2025, the scheduled hearing date.
However, on Wednesday, the case failed to proceed after the State Attorney reportedly had a funeral and was unable to appear in court. Magistrate Sodeyeka emphasised that if the prosecution is not ready on the next hearing date, the case will be dismissed.
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Tanzania’s Top Football Club, Yanga, Under Fire for Its 100 Million Contribution to the Ruling Party Ahead of the Polls
Supporters of one of Tanzania’s top football clubs, Yanga, winners of the Tanzania Premier League for four consecutive seasons,have taken to social media to criticize the club’s leadership for its decision to donate Sh. 100 million to the ruling party, CCM, during a fundraiser ahead of the polls.
The club’s president, Hersi Said, who also works for the club’s main sponsor, GSM Group, presented Sh. 10 billion from GSM during the gala dinner, which was also attended by GSM president Ghalib Said Mohamed. On top of that contribution, Hersi Said announced that Yanga would also donate Sh. 100 million to the party.
Since the announcement, Yanga’s leadership has faced backlash over the perceived lack of neutrality, with critics pointing out that the club’s supporters come from various political affiliations.
“You encourage fans to pay fees and register for membership, others to renew their membership, and then the leader of the institution takes the money and gives it to his party. How can such basic wisdom be beyond such a large group of people when making decisions?” asked Malafyale, one of Yanga’s volunteers.
“Are the leaders of this team self-aware? The members and fans of Yanga are not all CCM supporters; don’t you see that taking their money and directing it into politics is a huge sign of disrespect to them?” said Hancy Machemba on X.
“Then give 100 million to all parties to balance it out. It is very wrong to mix football with politics just to curry favor,” he continued.
A debate has also emerged over whether Yanga has violated FIFA’s regulations, prompting some individuals to write to the FIFA Ethics Committee to raise concerns about a possible breach of regulation.
“A football club donating to a political party looks bad (divisive optics), but I don’t think it’s a clear violation of FIFA statutes. It’s more of a grey area,” said Michael Mwebe, a renowned Tanzanian sports pundit.
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Op-ED: Job Ndugai’s Death: All Women, Especially First Wives, Refuse to be Erased
Former Speaker Job Ndugai passed away on August 6, 2025, in Dodoma while receiving treatment. Reports during his funeral rites indicated that Ndugai left behind a wife, children, and grandchildren. Different sources provide varying numbers of children, and he himself once mentioned that he was unsure of how many children he had.
But that’s a story for another day. My focus today is on the phrase “one wife.” Let me be honest. Since his death, my mind has been racing, from media interviews with his first wife, Stella Mmassy, claiming to be the only wife, stating they married in 1988, never divorced, and unaware of any other marriage.
High-level officials, including parliament members, recognise Dr Fatma Mganga, who is currently Singida’s Regional Administrative Secretary, as Ndugai’s only wife. Bear with me, my mind is still racing.
Ndugai has stated multiple times that he was a devout Christian, not just a regular Easter and Christmas churchgoer like most of us, but a respected member of his church. He referred to himself as Mzee wa Kanisa to emphasise the seriousness of his position. Last I checked (as someone who doesn’t attend church), Christians typically only erecognise one marriage. We all know that male Christians (husbands) often have multiple wives, not to mention extra relationships.
Erasure?
For those who observed the burial services closely, apart from Stella Mmassy’s interview after Ndugai’s death, she hasn’t been mentioned in any rites. She seemed to vanish; her presence was almost entirely erased.
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Op-Ed: Why Tanzania Should Demand a Strong Global Plastics Treaty
In the crowded streets of Dar es Salaam, plastic bags flutter from market stalls, bottle caps lodge in drainage ditches, and discarded sachets swirl into the Indian Ocean with the tides. This isn’t just litter, it’s the frontline of a global crisis. And from 5th to 14th August, 2025, in Geneva, nations are negotiating what could be the world’s first legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.
At the conferences that birthed the Global Plastics Treaty, phrases echoed through the halls: “Refuse single-use, choose sustainability,” “Less plastic, more life,” and “Say no to plastic, yes to a cleaner earth.” They weren’t just slogans; they were a movement for change for Tanzania and the rest of the world.
Tanzania’s coastline is part of the Western Indian Ocean, one of the fastest-growing marine economies and a major marine ecosystem in the world. But it’s also choking under the weight of plastic. A 2025 study by Mayoma and colleagues highlights that over 80 per cent of beach litter in Dar es Salaam was plastic. Fisheries, tourism, and public health are all at stake.
Yet, in Geneva, there’s a battle of argument brewing. Some powerful countries and corporate lobbyists want a watered-down treaty focused only on waste management and voluntary commitments. That approach would leave countries like Tanzania still dealing with the fallout without addressing the root cause: runaway plastic production.
In Dar es Salaam, blocked drains mean flash floods that wash waste and disease into homes. The plastic flooding our streets doesn’t originate here alone. Much of it is designed, manufactured, and marketed elsewhere, only to become our environmental burden. This is why Tanzania’s negotiators must demand a treaty that places the greatest responsibility on the world’s biggest plastic producers.
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