Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on September 15, 2025.

Tanzanian Court Paves Way for Tundu Lissu’s Treason Trial Amidst Complaints of Police Brutality at the Court

The treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu is set to proceed after the High Court on Monday dismissed his preliminary objections challenging its jurisdiction. 

The ruling, a significant moment in the country’s most-watched political trial, was immediately followed by a dramatic courtroom session in which Lissu himself argued against the very nature of the charges, while outside, the dust settled after police clashed violently with his supporters.

The three-judge panel, led by Judge Ndunguru, systematically rejected four key objections raised by Lissu. The court ruled that it had jurisdiction to hear the case despite alleged procedural flaws at the committal stage. 

It also dismissed Lissu’s claims that repeated adjournments at the lower court without stated reasons, the concealment of witnesses, and the denial of proper documentation had violated his rights.

Following the ruling, state attorney Nassoro Katuga indicated the prosecution was ready to proceed with reading the charges but immediately requested an adjournment to allow more preparation time. 

Read the full article here.

Polepole Summoned to DCI: ‘To Present Evidence of His Allegations’

Tanzanian police have summoned former Ambassador of Tanzania to Cuba, Humphrey Polepole, to present evidence supporting his allegations to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

In a statement released on Monday, September 15, 2025, police said some of Polepole’s allegations are criminal in nature and require evidence.

“The Tanzania Police Force would like to inform the public that it opened an investigation file and has continued investigating various allegations made by Humphrey Herson Polepole since July 2025,” the statement reads.

“The allegations he has made, and continues to make, as he has described them, indicate the presence of criminal offenses and, according to the law, require evidence to substantiate them when they are presented in court,” the statement continues.

“In addition to gathering evidence, the Police Force has been making efforts to find him so that he can provide a statement/evidence. Therefore, through this statement, the Police Force continues to direct him to report to the Office of the Director of Criminal Investigations so that he can provide a statement/evidence.”

Read the full article here.

Bank of Tanzania Sets New Record in Gold Reserves, Reaches 821 Billion Shillings – World Continues to Rush to Gold

The Statement of Financial Position of the Bank of Tanzania for August 2025 shows that the Bank has strengthened its gold reserves, reaching gold worth 821.8 billion shillings as of August 31, 2025.

This is the largest increase since October 2023, when BoT began purchasing gold for reserves. By July 31, 2025, the Central Bank held gold reserves worth 171.9 billion shillings. However, within just one month, the Bank managed to grow its reserves to 821.8 billion shillings — a 377.8 percent increase.

These gold reserves are part of the Central Bank’s strategy to cope with global shifts, including trade wars between major powers, as well as policy changes in global trade that affect economic conditions in various countries, including Tanzania. In its July 2025 Monetary Policy Report report, the Central Bank explained that gold purchases were aimed at strengthening the shilling amid global challenges.

“The escalating geopolitical tensions, trade frictions, and changes in U.S. foreign aid policies added to global uncertainty, prompting banks to rebalance their portfolios and manage risk exposure,” stated BoT’s report.

“Domestic gold purchases by the Bank have increased liquidity, which has partly reduced pressure on the shilling,” BoT further explained.

The shilling has continued to strengthen in recent days, partly due to the gold purchases. Other contributing factors include tourism, crop exports, and gold exports.

Read the full article here

Tanzania’s Electoral Commission Disqualifies Opposition Candidate Again Despite Court Order

Tanzania’s electoral commission has disqualified opposition presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina for a second time, removing him from the ballot just two days after formally nominating him in compliance with a High Court order.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Monday that it had upheld an objection filed by the Attorney General, ruling that Mpina lacks the qualifications to contest the presidency because he has not been properly sponsored by a political party.

The decision represents a dramatic reversal of fortunes for the ACT Wazalendo party candidate, whose candidacy has become the focal point of a bitter legal and political battle ahead of Tanzania’s October 29 general election.

Mpina’s disqualification caps an extraordinary week that saw his candidacy reinstated by the High Court on September 11, only to be challenged again through fresh objections and now definitively rejected by the electoral commission.

INEC cited provisions of the Elections Act and accompanying regulations in its decision to remove Mpina from the presidential candidates list. The commission agreed with the Attorney General’s argument that Mpina’s nomination by ACT Wazalendo violated the party’s internal procedures, effectively meaning he lacks proper political party sponsorship required under Tanzanian law.

Read the full article here.

Dar es Salaam RC to Provide 100 Million to Kawe Market Traders After Fire Devastation

The Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC) has pledged Tsh 100 million to support traders whose businesses were destroyed in a fire that swept through the Kawe food market on the night of September 15, 2025.

The market, which hosts about 1,000 traders — mostly selling fresh food — is one of the busiest in Dar es Salaam due to its proximity to residential areas. Witnesses reported that the fire broke out at around 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2025. The blaze spread rapidly because most of the stalls were made of wood and many traders kept flammable items, such as gas stoves, at their stalls.

At the time of the fire, the market was still active, particularly with traders selling cooked food. Several traders tried to salvage their goods, but most lost everything in the blaze.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila visited the market together with several local leaders. He directed the Regional Administrative Secretary to allocate Tsh 100 million, which will be distributed to the traders on September 16, 2025, after they have been properly organized and agree on how they will use the fund through their leadership.

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