Lissu’s Treason Trial Resumes in High Court After Five-Month Hiatus

The treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu resumed on Monday, August 10, 2026, at the High Court of Tanzania. The proceedings, which had been suspended for approximately five months, continued before a three-judge panel after a lengthy procedural interruption caused by an unsuccessful prosecution application to introduce further evidence

Lissu, chairman of the opposition Chadema Party, faces a single count of treason under the Penal Code, an offence that carries a potential death penalty and is non-bailable. He has spent about 450 days in custody.

Lissu was arrested on April 9, 2025, after addressing a public rally as part of his party’s “No Reforms, No Election” campaign. He was transferred to Dar es Salaam and charged the following day at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court. Prosecutors allege that on April 3, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, he made and published statements intended to prevent the holding of the 2025 general election by inciting the public to rebellion and disruption.

The Independent National Electoral Commission later disqualified his party from participating in the 29 October 2025 general election after the party declined to sign the electoral code of conduct. The election proceeded, with the incumbent president, Her Excellency Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, declared the winner. Opposition groups and organisations reported significant post-election unrest and deaths; the precise figures are reported in the Chande Report.

The High Court trial was suspended on 24 February 2026 after the Director of Public Prosecutions sought to introduce additional evidence from the Assistant Commissioner of Police, who served as the lead investigator. The High Court refused the request. The prosecution sought a review before the Court of Appeal. On 30 July 2026, a three-judge Court of Appeal panel dismissed the application, ruling that the prosecution’s notice was without merit and upholding the High Court’s decision. This cleared the way for the main trial to resume after a 160-day interruption.

When the trial resumed earlier in the week, the Assistant Commissioner of Police appeared as the 16th prosecution witness. He testified that he took charge of the investigation in April 2025 and reviewed a video of Lissu’s remarks published on a YouTube channel. The witness stated that the remarks demonstrated an intention to pressure the government and disrupt the election, and that they had contributed to arrests in several regions of people suspected of encouraging demonstrations. A dispute arose when the witness linked the statements to the tearing of ballot papers. Lissu objected that this was outside the charge and had not appeared in the witness’s earlier statement. The judges directed the witness to confine his evidence to matters within his personal knowledge.

Lissu, who has represented himself in significant parts of the proceedings, conducted a cross-examination of the Assistant Commissioner of Police that lasted more than 11 hours over three days, concluding on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. He questioned the witness about discrepancies between the written police statement and oral testimony, the dropping of charges against certain arrested individuals, reported deaths during and after last year’s October 29 election, and the absence of certain investigative materials from the exhibits.

The Principal State Attorney then conducted a re-examination. The case was scheduled to continue on August 13, 2026, with consecutive sittings set for early September.