Developing story: the court's decision is expected on Friday, 6 November.
A judgment is due on Friday in the treason case against Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, the jailed leader of the Chadema party, who faces a possible death sentence if convicted.
Lissu has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers say the charges are politically motivated.
The case
Lissu, who came second in Tanzania's 2020 presidential election, was arrested in April 2025 after a rally calling for electoral reform. Prosecutors say his speech urged the public to rebel and disrupt last year's general election. Lissu survived being shot 16 times in a 2017 assassination attempt.
The hunger-strike dispute
Chadema spokesperson Brenda Rupia said on social media that Lissu began refusing food on 26 October after his lawyers were denied entry to the prison. His lawyer, Rugemeleza Nshala, said private consultations promised to the legal team did not take place. Nshala said Lissu later ended the protest after a meeting with his brother and after prison authorities allowed private meetings with lawyers.
The prisons service denied the reports, telling a local newspaper that Lissu was safe and was not on hunger strike.
Election violence and the government's position
The government has rejected widespread accusations of abuse, saying it respects human rights. A government-appointed inquiry found at least 518 people were killed in violence after last year's election. Chadema puts the toll at about 2,000; the United Nations has said it could not verify that figure. Chadema announced seven days of mourning ending on 4 November, marking the anniversary of the 29 October vote.
What we do not yet know
- Whether Friday's judgment is a verdict or another procedural ruling.
- Lissu's current situation in custody. The accounts above come from his party and lawyer on one side and the prisons service on the other, and we have not independently confirmed either.
- Which court will deliver the judgment and the exact charge sheet in the current proceedings.
