Tension is rising further on the political scene in Tanzania ahead of the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Accused of treason, his Chadema political party was this month excluded from the presidential race scheduled for October, sparking concern among human rights groups.
Opposition leader Tundu Lissu was arrested alongside some members of his party shortly after a rally on 9 April, and is now due to appear before the Kisitu court in Dar es Salaam on 24 April.
Accused of "publishing false information" and of "treason," he could face the death penalty.
The arrest and party's ban represent a severe blow for the opposition in Tanzania, who do not intend to give up the election race, according to RFI's correspondent.
John Heche, vice-president of the Chadema party, called on opposition supporters to gather peacefully in front of the court on Thursday to support their leader, who he said was "facing trumped-up charges."
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Amnesty International called for the "immediate" and "unconditional" release of Lissu in a statement.
According to the NGO, his detention comes "in a context of growing repression against opposition leaders" in the run-up to the October 2025 general elections.
It added that four government critics were forcibly disappeared, and one unlawfully killed in 2024.
The police have also prevented opposition members from holding meetings and other political gatherings, subjecting them to mass arrest, arbitrary detention and unlawful use of force, Amnesty said.
Increasing repression
Lissu was arrested in Mbinga town, southwest of Tanzania and transferred to Dar es Salaam, more than 1,000 kilometres away by road during the night.
Police used excessive force during the intervention, firing teargas and shooting in the air to disperse his supporters who gathered around during the arrest, Amnesty reported.
On 10 April 2025, police charged Lissu with the non-bailable offence of treason, in relation to social media posts he made on 3 April 2025 calling for Tanzanians to boycott the forthcoming elections, citing the possibility of rigging.
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) said last week in a statement that the opposition leader’s arrest spells trouble for the elections.
"The government of President Samia Suluhu Hassan has previously repressed the political opposition and critical voices", it added.
Earlier this month, Tanzania’s electoral body, the Independent National Elections Commission, disqualified Chadema from participating in the elections after party officials refused to sign the 2025 Election Code of Ethics.
The party said it did not sign due to the Commission's "lack of a written response" to its "proposals and demands for essential electoral reforms".
The rally scheduled for 24 April in front of the court is considered an incitement to unrest by the Tanzanian police, who warned that "anyone found planning or attempting to act on such incitement will be liable to strict legal action."
For the NGO Vanguard Africa, Tanzania is headed toward an election with a "foregone conclusion".
"Tanzanians regularly voice frustration with elections that do not meaningfully allow citizens to hold political elites accountable. No one seems to be listening," it wrote on social media.
