Tanzanian opposition party leader Tundu Lissu was charged with treason on Thursday for comments he made last week, which prosecutors claim incited the public to launch a rebellion and disrupt the upcoming election.
Lissu, chairman of the main opposition party CHADEMA and runner-up in the 2020 presidential election, was arrested on Wednesday after a rally in the southwestern region of Ruvuma.
The charges against him will bring fresh scrutiny to President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s human rights record as she seeks re-election.
Lissu’s comments, made on April 3 in Dar es Salaam, were deemed treasonous by prosecutors.
According to the charge sheet, he stated, “It is true we say we will prevent the election. We will inspire rebellion.
That is the way to get change.” His lawyer, Rugemeleza Nshala, claims the charges are politically driven, arguing that Lissu was simply campaigning to educate CHADEMA supporters.
The case has sparked concerns about the government’s commitment to respecting human rights, particularly ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for late October.
CHADEMA has vowed to boycott the elections unless significant reforms are made to the electoral process, which they claim favors the ruling party.
Lissu’s next court appearance is set for April 24, where he’ll face the treason charge and a separate charge of publishing false information.
