Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu has started a hunger strike to protest his inability to access his lawyers while in prison. Lissu, who leads the Chadema opposition party and came second in the 2020 presidential election, began refusing food on Monday. His party said the decision was made after his lawyers were denied entry to the prison where he is being held. Lissu was charged with treason last year over a speech prosecutors claimed called on the public to rebel and disrupt the general election.
Lissu's party spokesperson Brenda Rupia wrote on X that the opposition leader had begun the hunger strike after his lawyers were denied access to him. However, Tanzania Prisons Service spokesperson Elizabeth Mbezi said in a statement that Lissu was not on a hunger strike and was safe. Mbezi added that the prisons service continued to allow his lawyers to see him after verifying their identities. The conflicting reports raise concerns about the conditions of Lissu's detention.
Lissu was charged with treason over a speech he made during the 2023 general election. Prosecutors claimed that the speech called on the public to rebel and disrupt the election. Lissu pleaded not guilty to the charges, which his lawyer described as politically motivated. The case has drawn attention to the human rights record of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who won the 2025 election.
The Chadema party was barred from participating in the 2023 general election after failing to sign a code of conduct document. The election was marred by protests and unrest, resulting in at least 518 deaths, according to a government-appointed commission of inquiry. The commission blamed the protesters for the violence. Lissu's detention, along with reports of alleged abductions of government critics, has raised concerns about the government's commitment to human rights.
Lissu's chief legal counsel, Rugemeleza Nshala, told journalists that the opposition leader had planned the strike because he was denied privacy during talks with his lawyers in violation of a court order. The court is due to deliver its judgment in Lissu's case on November 6. The judgment is highly anticipated, as it may have significant implications for Lissu's future and the country's human rights landscape.
The government has rejected accusations of widespread rights abuses, saying it is committed to respecting human rights. In 2024, the government ordered an investigation into reports of abductions, but no official findings have been made public. The case has drawn international attention, with human rights groups and activists expressing concern about Lissu's detention and the broader human rights situation in Tanzania.
The hunger strike by Lissu highlights the ongoing tensions between the government and the opposition in Tanzania. The case also raises questions about the independence of the judiciary and the protection of human rights in the country. As the court prepares to deliver its judgment, many are watching closely to see how the situation will unfold.
Key points
- Lissu's hunger strike is a protest against his inability to access his lawyers while in prison.
- The case has drawn attention to the human rights record of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
- The court is due to deliver its judgment in Lissu's case on November 6.
