Tanzanian Opposition Leader Convicted of Election-Related Incitement

The Chadema leader was detained half a year before the upcoming election, shortly after initiating a campaign that called for electoral reforms under the banner “No Reforms, No Election”.

Prosecutors alleged that his public statements were designed to incite citizens to disrupt the election process and threaten the government.

They contended that his remarks, which were shared online, constituted treasonous activity.

Lissu, who acted as his own attorney during the trial, asserted that his comments were part of a legitimate political campaign advocating for constitutional and electoral reforms.

He argued that prosecutors took his statements out of context and failed to establish that he committed any criminal offense.

Some of the demands raised by Chadema were:

• Electoral commissioners should be appointed independently, without presidential influence.

• Police must permit all political parties to campaign without intimidation.

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• District chiefs appointed by the government should no longer serve as returning officers.

• Party agents should be allowed to monitor vote counting without interference.

• A mechanism should exist to contest presidential election results in court.

While held in pre‑trial detention at Dar es Salaam’s Ukonga Prison, Lissu staged two brief hunger strikes, alleging that he was denied access to his lawyers and relatives and that prison guards listened to confidential lawyer consultations.

Prison authorities have denied these allegations.

The case has drawn international scrutiny, with human‑rights organizations raising concerns about the treatment of opposition figures and the narrowing space for political dissent in Tanzania.

The previous year’s election was followed by widespread protests and a violent security response that resulted in at least 500 fatalities, according to an official inquiry.

Opposition groups contend that the death toll was significantly higher and have called for an independent investigation.

The government has defended its actions during the unrest and rejected claims of extensive political repression.

President Samia, age 66, maintains that the election was fair and transparent, attributing the unrest to foreign actors seeking to destabilise her government. She has formed a new commission to identify those responsible for the violence.

Lissu has long been a vocal critic of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which, alongside its predecessor Tanu, has dominated Tanzanian politics since independence. He entered parliament in 2010 as the representative of a district near his birthplace in Singida, located roughly 320 kilometres northwest of the capital Dodoma.

In September 2017, the Chadema politician survived a near‑fatal assassination attempt when gunmen opened fire on his vehicle outside his Dodoma home. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and received extensive medical treatment abroad. The assailants have never been apprehended, compelling him to live in exile for several years.

He returned to contest the 2020 presidential election against the late President John Magufuli, but was defeated in a vote that the opposition claimed was marred by widespread irregularities. Following the election, Lissu went into exile, only to return in 2023 after President Samia lifted a ban on opposition rallies. His comeback was initially viewed as a sign of renewed political openness after years of restrictions under Magufuli, who died in office in 2021. However, as the 2025 election neared, tensions between the government and the opposition escalated. In January 2025, Lissu assumed the chairmanship of Chadema and stepped up calls for electoral reforms. His conviction is expected to intensify concerns over the state of democracy in the country.

Amnesty International accused the government last week of continuing its post‑election crackdown and of “weaponising counterterrorism laws to silence critics and instil fear.” Authorities did not respond to a request for comment.

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