Tundu Lissu, the leader of Tanzania’s opposition, was charged with treason on Thursday following his arrest during a public rally where he advocated for electoral reforms ahead of the upcoming general elections scheduled for October.
Lissu, who heads the main opposition party CHADEMA, was taken into custody on Wednesday night for what regional police described as incitement. The opposition has been urging for electoral reforms to guarantee that the forthcoming elections are conducted fairly and transparently.
On Thursday afternoon, Lissu appeared at the Kisutu magistrate’s court in Dar es Salaam, the commercial hub of the country, looking upbeat and accompanied by his legal team and fellow opposition members.
His arrest occurred late Wednesday after he concluded his speech at a rally in Mbinga, located over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Dar es Salaam, where he was forcibly placed into a police vehicle.
Human rights advocates have accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government of employing oppressive measures against opposition figures.
The government has refuted these allegations. Notably, in 2017, Lissu survived an assassination attempt, sustaining 16 gunshot wounds.
Tanzania is preparing to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in October.
CHADEMA has voiced concerns regarding the lack of an independent electoral commission and laws that disproportionately benefit the ruling party, CCM, which has maintained power since Tanzania gained independence in 1961.
