Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu was formally charged with treason on Thursday, a day after his arrest at a public rally where he called for electoral reforms ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for October.
Lissu, who serves as chairperson of the main opposition party CHADEMA, was taken into custody Wednesday night in what regional police described as a response to alleged incitement. His arrest has sparked fresh criticism of the government’s handling of political dissent.
The opposition has consistently called for comprehensive reforms to ensure a credible and transparent electoral process. Lissu, appearing in high spirits, was escorted by his legal team and party officials to the Kisutu Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam on Thursday afternoon.
Authorities apprehended Lissu shortly after he concluded his address at a public rally in Mbinga, located in the southern region of the country—over 1,000 kilometers from the commercial capital. Human rights groups have condemned the arrest, accusing the administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan of increasingly suppressing opposition voices.
The government has denied any political motive behind the arrest. Lissu, a vocal critic of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, previously survived an assassination attempt in 2017 when he was shot 16 times in what remains a highly controversial case.
Tanzania is preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections later this year. CHADEMA has repeatedly criticized the lack of an independent electoral commission and the existence of electoral laws it claims overwhelmingly favor the CCM, which has maintained power since the country’s independence in 1961.
