Tanzania's opposition leader Tundu Lissu sentenced to 4 years in prison for incitement

Tundu Lissu, the national chairman of Tanzania's opposition party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of incitement by the High Court of Tanzania's Dar es Salaam Sub-Registry. The court ruled that Lissu's statements urging the public to prevent and disrupt the 2025 general election amounted to incitement. Lissu was initially charged with treason but was acquitted after the court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove he intended to intimidate the government through his statements.

The trial, which lasted 576 days, saw the prosecution call 17 witnesses, while Lissu testified in his defence, acknowledging he made the statements but rejecting the prosecution's interpretation of them as treasonous. Lissu argued that his statements constituted legitimate political discourse. Despite the heavy police presence around the court premises, members of the public and CHADEMA supporters gathered to hear the ruling, with traffic remaining orderly.

High Court Judge Dunstan Ndunguru said that Section 319 of the Criminal Procedure Act empowers courts to convict an accused person of a lesser offense even when it was not separately included in the charge. The judge added that the court had considered evidence from both the prosecution and defence before concluding that Lissu's statements amounted to incitement under Section 390 of the Penal Code.

Lissu was arrested on April 9, 2025, in Mbinga District of Ruvuma Region, and had remained in custody throughout the proceedings because treason is a non-bailable offense under Tanzanian law. The police had heightened security around the Posta and Kisutu areas of Dar es Salaam ahead of the ruling, with armed officers patrolling major roads and taking strategic positions along routes leading to the court premises.

Security was also reinforced at key junctions, including Ubungo, Mwenge and Buguruni, as well as at Bus Rapid Transit stations. Despite the heavy police presence, the public and CHADEMA supporters were able to gather around the court to hear the ruling.

The court convicted Lissu of the lesser offense of incitement, which had been included as an alternative to the treason charge. Some prosecution witnesses testified that Lissu's statements influenced them to participate in activities aimed at disrupting the election.

The sentence brings to an end a lengthy trial that has been closely watched by supporters and opponents of Lissu and CHADEMA. The opposition leader's conviction and sentencing have significant implications for Tanzania's political landscape, particularly in the run-up to the 2025 general election.

Key points

• Lissu was sentenced to 4 years in prison for incitement.
• The court ruled that Lissu's statements urging the public to prevent and disrupt the 2025 general election amounted to incitement.
• Lissu was initially charged with treason but was acquitted after the court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove he intended to intimidate the government through his statements.