Tanzania’s main opposition figure, Tundu Lissu, has been granted the right to represent himself in court after raising concerns over restricted access to legal counsel during his ongoing treason trial.
Lissu, who was arrested on April 9 following a public address calling for electoral reforms, told the Kisutu Magistrate’s Court on Monday that he had been unable to consult his legal team privately for over two months. “Today is the 68th day since I was arraigned, and my lawyers have been repeatedly denied the right to see me in private,” he said, highlighting the risk of conversations being monitored or recorded.
The opposition leader, who survived a 2017 assassination attempt, has been a vocal critic of the ruling CCM party and the lack of an independent electoral commission ahead of the upcoming general elections in October.
Chief Magistrate Franco Kiswaga approved Lissu’s request to act as his own defense, permitting him to engage directly with the prosecution unless he opts to reinstate legal representation later. The magistrate also urged the prosecution to accelerate its investigation and confirmed that the next hearing is scheduled for July 1.
Lissu further alleged mistreatment in custody, claiming he is being held in a section designated for death row inmates despite not being convicted. He also said he was denied the right to practice his religion.
Human rights organizations have condemned the Tanzanian government’s treatment of Lissu, accusing it of using aggressive tactics against political opponents a charge the government denies.
The trial is being closely watched both domestically and internationally amid growing concerns about political freedom in Tanzania.
