Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, head of the CHADEMA party and former presidential candidate, was charged with treason on Thursday over public remarks urging citizens to resist participating in upcoming national elections.
Lissu was detained on Wednesday following a political rally in the southern region of Ruvuma, where he reportedly called on the public to obstruct the electoral process scheduled later this year.
Appearing before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam, Lissu was not permitted to enter a plea on the treason charge, which remains under the jurisdiction of higher courts. However, he pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of spreading false information.
The move has reignited concerns about political freedoms and the human rights climate under President Samia Suluhu Hassan. While Hassan was initially praised for relaxing political restrictions and reversing repressive policies following the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli, in 2021, her administration has since come under fire for the arrests, disappearances, and targeted harassment of opposition figures.
Lissu’s arrest is likely to intensify scrutiny of the government’s commitment to democratic reform, especially as President Hassan seeks re-election. In recent months, CHADEMA has been leading a nationwide campaign under the slogan “No Reforms, No Election,” pressing for changes to electoral laws and political freedoms before any national vote takes place.
President Hassan has publicly stated her administration’s commitment to human rights and even ordered investigations into alleged abductions of political activists last year. Nonetheless, critics argue that the reality on the ground tells a different story.
