Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu has been charged with treason, a capital offence, over remarks that prosecutors say encouraged rebellion and sought to disrupt elections scheduled for later this year.
Lissu, who chairs the main opposition party CHADEMA and was the runner-up in the 2020 presidential race, was arrested on Wednesday after holding a rally in the Ruvuma region. He appeared in court on Thursday in Dar es Salaam, where he was denied the opportunity to enter a plea on the treason charge and was remanded in custody.
However, he pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of publishing false information. He is expected to return to court on April 24.
“You cannot separate these charges from politics,” said Lissu’s lawyer, Rugemeleza Nshala. “He was campaigning to educate CHADEMA supporters, but they have turned it into criminal charges.”
According to the charge sheet, Lissu made the controversial statements on April 3 in Dar es Salaam. He was quoted as saying: “It is true we say we will prevent the election. We will inspire rebellion. That is the way to get change.” He allegedly added: “So we are going to spoil this election. We are going to disrupt. We are going to spoil it very badly.”
The charges are likely to draw renewed scrutiny of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s human rights record as she seeks a second term. Although initially praised for relaxing political restrictions and easing media censorship, President Hassan has since faced increasing criticism over arrests and disappearances of political figures.
CHADEMA has threatened to boycott the October elections unless significant electoral reforms are implemented, arguing that the current system favours the ruling party. No official date has yet been announced for the vote.
Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 after being shot 16 times, has seen no arrests made in connection with the attack—though the late President John Magufuli did condemn it at the time.
President Hassan has stated that her administration is committed to upholding human rights and, last year, ordered a probe into reports of abductions, although no charges have followed.
