The leader of Tanzania’s main opposition party, Tundu Lissu, has appeared in court as his treason trial continues in Dar es Salaam. The Chadema party figure faces charges that carry the death penalty if convicted, sparking concern among rights groups and democracy advocates across East Africa.
Lissu addressed supporters at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday with a message of defiance, raising his fist as he entered the courtroom while supporters chanted “No reforms, no election.” He reassured them, saying, “We will be fine. … Don’t worry at all.” The opposition leader had previously been compelled to attend an earlier hearing via videolink from prison.
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A former presidential candidate who survived an assassination attempt in 2017, Lissu was charged last month with treason over a speech prosecutors claim incited the public to rebel and disrupt Tanzania’s upcoming October elections.
His trial has drawn international attention amid growing fears of political repression in the region, as opposition parties and civil society call for greater protections for democratic freedoms.
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