Tanzania’s opposition leader Tundu Lissu has been sentenced to four years in prison after the High Court found him guilty of incitement, ending a case that has kept him behind bars for nearly 19 months.
A three-judge panel led by Justice Dunstan Ndunguru delivered the sentence on Friday, November 6, 2026, and informed the CHADEMA chairman of his right to appeal against both the conviction and the punishment.
Lissu had earlier refused to apologise before the court, insisting that he was innocent and challenging the incitement conviction on the grounds that he had initially been charged with treason.
The opposition leader was arrested on April 9, 2025, following a public address in Mbinga District, Ruvuma Region, before being transferred to Dar es Salaam.
He appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court on April 10, 2025, where authorities formally charged him with treason.
His detention continued as the case moved through the courts, with Lissu telling the court before sentencing that Friday marked his 577th day in custody.
The four-year sentence now adds another chapter to the legal battle surrounding the CHADEMA chairman, although he retains the right to challenge the conviction and sentence through an appeal.
