Tundu Lissu treason trial to continue in Tanzania

A Tanzanian court ruled Friday that opposition leader Tundu Lissu has a case to answer in his treason trial, allowing the case to continue.

“The court rules that the prosecution established a case which the accused needs to answer,” judge Dunstan Ndunguru said. The ruling by a three-judge bench came after prosecutors presented evidence and 17 witnesses testified against Lissu.

Lissu, head of the opposition Chadema party, was detained in April 2025 and charged with treason, which carries a potential death penalty. The charge stems from allegations that he incited the public to boycott elections while his party was leading a campaign called “No Reforms, No Elections”.

Tanzania has faced international criticism over the repression of protests around elections in November 2025. The opposition and rights groups say thousands were killed by security forces.

Lissu returned to Tanzania from exile in 2023. He has faced multiple arrests over the years and survived an assassination attempt in 2017.