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Tanzania’s opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s treason trial resumed on Monday, five months after proceedings were halted over a dispute concerning the admission of additional evidence.
The case has drawn renewed attention to Tanzania’s political climate, following international criticism of the government’s handling of protests surrounding last year’s elections. Opposition groups and rights activists said thousands of people were killed during the unrest, claims the government has faced pressure to address.
Lissu, a prominent opposition figure and member of the Chadema party, was arrested in April 2025 and charged with treason, an offence that carries the death penalty in Tanzania. His party had also been barred from participating in last year’s elections.
Speaking to supporters gathered outside the High Court in Dar es Salaam, Lissu accused prosecutors of deliberately delaying the proceedings.
“The prosecution wanted to waste time so that I can continue to remain in remand custody,” he said.
The trial had been suspended since February 24 after prosecutors appealed a ruling allowing additional evidence to be admitted. The Court of Appeal dismissed that challenge on July 30, clearing the way for proceedings to resume.
Lissu also warned that those responsible for the prolonged legal battle could eventually face consequences.
“Someone will have to pay for all of this someday,” he said, according to a video shared by Chadema.
Chadema spokesperson Brenda Rupia described the resumption as a “critical moment” for Lissu’s freedom and said the proceedings would test Tanzania’s commitment to democracy, the rule of law and political freedoms.
The party has accused authorities of using the treason case to suppress political opposition and limit democratic participation.
Lissu returned to Tanzania in 2023 after years abroad following an assassination attempt. He has been arrested several times during his political career, but the current treason charge is considered the most serious legal case he has faced.
Chadema has accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was declared the winner of last year’s election with 98 per cent of the vote, of reviving the repressive tactics associated with her predecessor, John Magufuli. The government has faced growing scrutiny over its treatment of opposition figures and political dissent.
