The British government has expressed concern over the four-year prison sentence handed down to Chadema chairman Tundu Lissu. In a statement issued on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, by UK Minister for Africa and International Development, Kirsty McNeill, the UK emphasised the importance of human rights, political reconciliation, and the rule of law in Tanzania. This concern comes after the High Court's Dar es Salaam Sub-Registry decision to convict Mr Lissu of sedition.
The UK recalled the findings of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, set out in Opinion No. 74/2025, which concluded that Mr Lissu's detention was arbitrary and lacked a lawful basis. The working group identified serious concerns over his right to a fair hearing, alongside violations of safeguards guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Tanzania has an obligation to protect the right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, political participation, and equality before the law. The British government reaffirmed its support for the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the October 2025 General Election, particularly the importance of political reconciliation in healing the wounds left by violence surrounding the polls.
According to the statement, reconciliation is an essential step towards restoring peace, trust, and solidarity among Tanzanians. The UK urged Tanzanian authorities to maintain their commitment to reconciliation, strengthen multiparty democracy, and uphold the principles of justice in trials, legal processes, and the administration of the rule of law.
The High Court of Tanzania's Dar es Salaam Sub-Registry convicted Mr Lissu of sedition and sentenced him to four years in prison on November 6, 2026. A three-judge panel led by Judge Dunstan Ndunguru, alongside judges James Karayemaha and Ferdinand Kiwonde, delivered the verdict. Mr Lissu had initially faced a treason charge over remarks he allegedly made on April 3, 2025, at Chadema headquarters in Dar es Salaam.
However, the court acquitted him of treason after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove an intention to threaten or overthrow the government. It instead found him guilty of sedition, which had been presented as an alternative charge. The verdict followed 577 days in detention since Mr Lissu's arrest on April 10, 2025.
Following the ruling, Mr Lissu's lawyers announced plans to appeal the conviction and seek bail pending the determination of the appeal. The UK's statement comes as a call to action for Tanzanian authorities to prioritise human rights, political reconciliation, and the rule of law.
Key points
- The UK expressed concern over the four-year prison sentence handed down to Chadema chairman Tundu Lissu.
- The UK emphasised the importance of human rights, political reconciliation, and the rule of law in Tanzania.
- Mr Lissu's lawyers announced plans to appeal the conviction and seek bail pending the determination of the appeal.
