Opposition leader faces death penalty over treason charge

Tanzania's main opposition leader Tundu Lissu was charged on Thursday with treason, which carries the death penalty, a day after being detained following a call for electoral reform, according to eNCA. This is what one of his lawyers Jebra Kambole told AFP following his appearance in court in Dar es Salaam. The east African nation has increasingly cracked down on its opposition, with Lissu's Chadema party accusing President Samia Suluhu Hassan of returning to the repressive tactics of her predecessor months before October's general election. While Lissu has been arrested before – and usually released soon after – this is the first time he has faced such a serious charge. Kambole added that Lissu had also been charged with the ‘publication of false information’ but did not give details. Earlier, regional police commander Marco Chilya told reporters the opposition leader was questioned ‘regarding allegations of inciting the population to block the general elections’. Tanzania is scheduled to hold Presidential and national assembly elections in October. Hassan's party Chama Cha Mapinduzi swept local elections last year. Chadema said the elections had been manipulated, and would petition the High Court to demand reforms ahead of the upcoming polls. Lissu warned last year that Chadema would ‘block the elections through confrontation’ unless the electoral system was reformed. Lissu, a lawyer and former MP between 2010 and 2017, who also survived an assassination attempt, has been detained by authorities several times. He was a presidential candidate in 2020.

Meanwhile, Chadema has been barred from participating in this year's election, reports BBC News. Ramadhani Kailima, director of elections at the Independent National Elections Commission, said that Chadema had failed to sign a code of conduct document that was due on Saturday, meaning the party was disqualified from October's elections. The CCM party, which has governed Tanzania since 1977, is expected to retain power following the latest developments. ‘Any party that did not sign the code of conduct will not participate in the general election,’ Kailima said on Saturday, adding that Chadema would also be banned from taking part in any by-elections until 2030. Earlier on Saturday, Chadema had said that it would not participate in a code of conduct signing ceremony, as part of its drive for voting reforms. 

Full eNCA report

Full BBC News report