Tanzania’s Opposition Leader Tundu Lissu Faces Treason Charges and a Death Sentence Amid Electoral Reform Campaign
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – April 11, 2025
Tanzania’s prominent opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, was charged with treason on Thursday, April 10, 2025, following his arrest at a public rally in Mbinga, southern Tanzania. The charges, which carry the death penalty, have sparked widespread concern about political freedoms in the East African nation as it approaches general elections scheduled for October 2025.
Lissu, the national chairman of the opposition party Chadema (Party for Democracy and Progress), was arrested on Wednesday evening after addressing supporters as part of the party’s “No Reforms, No Election” campaign. The campaign calls for significant electoral reforms to ensure a free and fair vote, a demand Lissu and his party argue is critical given allegations of irregularities in past elections. During the rally, Lissu reportedly resisted police attempts to detain him, questioning their motives before tear gas was used to disperse his supporters.
The treason charge stems from statements Lissu allegedly made, which authorities claim incited rebellion against the government. In addition, Lissu faces charges of publishing false information under Tanzania’s Cyber Crimes Act, related to comments in a YouTube video posted on April 3, 2025. In the video, Lissu is said to have accused the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), of rigging the 2024 local government elections and manipulating judicial appointments to favor CCM loyalists.
Appearing at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, Lissu was described as defiant and in high spirits, accompanied by a team of prominent lawyers, including Dr. Rugemeleza Nshala, who called the charges “politically driven.” The court adjourned the treason case to April 24, 2025, and Lissu was not allowed to enter a plea on the charge, as is standard in such cases under Tanzanian law.
Lissu’s arrest and subsequent charges have drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and opposition supporters, who view the move as an attempt to silence dissent ahead of the elections. The opposition has long accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration of backsliding on democratic reforms promised when she took office in 2021. While Hassan initially lifted bans on opposition rallies and engaged with opposition leaders, recent arrests and violence against Chadema members have raised alarms about a return to repressive tactics.
Lissu, a vocal critic of the government, is no stranger to political persecution. In 2017, he survived an assassination attempt in which he was shot 16 times, an attack that forced him into exile in Belgium for five years. No one has been charged in connection with the incident. His return to Tanzania in 2023 followed assurances of a more open political climate, but recent events suggest escalating tensions.
The international community is closely watching the situation. Analysts warn that the charges against Lissu could further polarize Tanzania’s political landscape and undermine confidence in the upcoming elections. Chadema has vowed to continue its push for electoral reforms, with supporters rallying behind Lissu under hashtags like #FreeLissu on social media.
As the case unfolds, questions remain about the future of political opposition in Tanzania and whether Lissu’s legal battle will galvanize or suppress calls for change in one of Africa’s most stable yet tightly controlled democracies.
This story is based on verified reports from credible sources covering the events of April 9-10, 2025, in Tanzania.
