Dar es Salaam – The High Court of Tanzania has dismissed an application by Tundu Lissu, the national chairperson of the main opposition party CHADEMA, to be joined as a necessary party in an ongoing civil case concerning the management of the party’s assets. 

The ruling, delivered on April 30, 2026, at the High Court’s sub-registry in Dar es Salaam, determined that Mr Lissu had filed the application in his personal capacity rather than in his official role as party chairman.

The civil suit, case number 8323 of 2025, was brought forward by former CHADEMA vice-chairperson Said Issa Mohamed alongside Ahmed Rashid Khamis and the late Maulida Anna Komu, who was buried the day before the ruling. 

The plaintiffs have alleged that the party’s assets have not been managed or distributed equitably.

In his decision, Judge Hamidu Mwanga stated that because Mr Lissu applied personally, he lacks a direct interest in the case. The judge reasoned that any court orders regarding the party’s leadership could be implemented by whoever holds the position, making Mr Lissu’s personal inclusion unnecessary. 

READ MORE: High Court to Allow Tundu Lissu as Party in CHADEMA Civil Case 

However, the court indicated that Mr Lissu would be permitted to appear as a witness in the proceedings.

The substantive case has now been transferred to Judge Ngunyale and is scheduled for its next hearing on May 13, 2026. During this session, the court will address a directive from the Court of Appeal to determine whether the lawsuit was filed within the required six-year limitation period for civil claims. 

Lawyers for the plaintiffs have argued that the dispute originated in 2016, before Mr Lissu assumed the party chairmanship.

Speaking outside the court, CHADEMA’s Chief Legal Counsel, Dr Rugemeleza Nshala, confirmed the rejection of the application. He said: “[The court] has refused and said that he can come as a witness. So that is what has happened, and those applications have been rejected.”

Dr Nshala also used the opportunity to call for the expedited hearing of Mr Lissu’s separate, ongoing treason trial. 

READ MORE: Tanzania’s Top Court Frees Opposition Party CHADEMA After 309-Day Ban

Mr Lissu has been imprisoned since April 2025, a situation that has drawn international attention to the broader context of political detentions and the frequent arrests of opposition figures in the region, which rights groups argue are often used to stifle dissent.

“It is our plea that there is no case as big as the offence of treason, and considering he is in prison and his right to freedom has been squeezed because he cannot get bail, the basis is that his case should be heard quickly,” Nshala said.

The treason case is currently awaiting scheduling by the Court of Appeal.