Dar es Salaam – Parliamentarians from several countries have asked President Samia Suluhu Hassan to guarantee a fair trial and rule out the death penalty for CHADEMA chairperson Tundu Lissu before the High Court delivers its treason judgement on Friday, November 6, 2026.
The appeal, published by British MP Alicia Kearns, comes as Dar es Salaam police warn against alleged plans for disorder on judgement day. Lissu’s family, meanwhile, is preparing to attend court before returning to Arusha for the funeral of his elder brother, Alute Mughwai Lissu.
Kearns, a Conservative MP and shadow minister for national security, safeguarding and foreign affairs, said on November 3 that she had written with 23 fellow parliamentarians from six countries and the European Union. Their letter, dated November 2, seeks assurances about Lissu and the protection of peaceful political opposition before the verdict.
“We urge your Government to ensure his fundamental right to a fair trial is upheld, and that he is not subjected to the death penalty under any circumstances,” the letter says.
The lawmakers argue that political disagreement should not be treated as criminality, warning that capital punishment against political opponents risks turning the justice system into an instrument of repression. They also raise concerns about arrests of opposition figures and the prospect of political parties being designated terrorist organisations.
READ MORE: Alute Lissu, Veteran Constitutional Lawyer and Tundu Lissu’s Brother, Dies After Long Illness
“No political party should be criminalised for calling for electoral reform and participating in peaceful opposition,” they write.
International appeals
The letter invokes the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s February finding that Lissu’s detention was arbitrary, and its call for his immediate release and reparations. That opinion did not itself terminate the domestic prosecution.
It also cites the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group’s July recommendation that his detention be resolved through a political and legal pathway within 30 days. The parliamentarians say that deadline has passed without resolution and urge his release through appropriate legal processes.
The appeal accompanies a wider dispute over the country’s human-rights record. In separate remarks on November 2, President Samia instructed the human-rights commission to respond promptly to foreign allegations while investigating conditions at home and addressing citizens’ complaints.
She argued that international assessments could be selective, saying countries disliked by others could be accused of violations while favoured countries escaped criticism. She did not address Lissu’s forthcoming judgement in those remarks.
Police warning
At a November 3 press conference, Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Jumanne Muliro said police were monitoring reports that people inside and outside the city were mobilising to attend court on November 6, with some allegedly planning violence or sabotage.
He recognised the public’s right to attend court but said the premises had limited capacity. He repeatedly distinguished people allegedly planning disorder from court attendees generally, without identifying the groups or presenting evidence of their alleged plans during his remarks.
“The police recognise that people have a right to be at court,” Muliro said. “But the court premises are known, and so is their capacity to accommodate people.”
He warned that police would act swiftly against anyone found planning criminal conduct under the cover of attending proceedings. He said officers would observe the law and human rights while preventing breaches of the peace.
The case began with Lissu’s arrest in Mbinga on April 9, 2025, during CHADEMA’s No Reforms, No Election campaign. The treason charge, a capital offence, concerns remarks at an April 3 meeting in Dar es Salaam and their publication through Jambo TV.
In its closing submission, the prosecution argued that 17 witnesses proved an intention to incite the public to intimidate the executive. State Attorney Nassoro Katuga maintained that oral testimony could establish the disputed statements despite the absence of admitted video evidence.
READ MORE: Alute Mughwai Lissu on Law, Loyalty and the Long Argument for Justice
Lissu, who conducted his own defence, challenged the indictment, witness reliability and proof of publication. He argued that the dispute was political and constitutional rather than criminal, and asked the three-judge panel to acquit him if the prosecution had not proved treason beyond reasonable doubt.
Family preparations
The judgement follows the death of Alute, a veteran constitutional lawyer, on November 1 after a long illness.
Speaking in Arusha on November 3, family spokesperson Vincent Lissu Mughwai said relatives would travel to Dar es Salaam for Friday’s verdict, then return for funeral arrangements.
A brief evening service is planned at Alute’s home on November 8, followed by a farewell Mass at St. Teresa Catholic Church in Arusha at 1 p.m. on November 9.
The body will then be taken to Singida for burial in Mahambe village on November 10. Vincent said the mourning programme had been extended to accommodate the family’s attendance at court.
“We believe the judges will act professionally, deliver justice and free Tundu,” he said, expressing the family’s hope that Lissu would be acquitted and join them in burying his brother.
