Tanzania court rules opposition leader has case to answer in treason trial

Tanzania's main opposition leader Tundu Lissu (R) reacts as he arrives at the High Court to attend a hearing on whether he has a case to answer in his treason trial, in Dar es Salaam on August 21, 2026. [AFP]

A Tanzanian court on Friday ruled that the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu will go ahead after finding that he has a case to answer.

Lissu, head of the opposition Chadema party, was detained in April 2025 and charged with treason, which carries a potential death penalty, for allegedly inciting the public to boycott last year's elections.

The long-time campaigner, who returned from exile in 2023, has faced multiple arrests over the years and survived an assassination attempt in 2017.

Tanzania has faced international criticism after the deadly repression of protests around elections in November, with the opposition and rights groups saying thousands were killed by security forces.

Security was heightened at the high court on Friday as Lissu’s supporters packed the courtroom for the ruling and foreign diplomats were also in attendance.

"The court rules that the prosecution established a case which the accused needs to answer," said judge Dunstan Ndunguru.

The ruling by a three-judge bench came days after prosecutors presented evidence and 17 witnesses testified against Lissu.

Lissu, who is representing himself, listed several high-ranking government officials that he will call as defence witnesses, including President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and asked the court to "summon them".

"I need to meet my lawyers and witnesses but they are not allowed to visit me in the prison," Lissu told the court, asking the judges to address the problems.

Last year, before the bloody November polls, Lissu's party conducted an election reform campaign dubbed "No Reforms, No Elections", which led to his arrest.

Lissu's party accuses Hassan, who won the last election with 98 percent, of a return to the repressive tactics of her predecessor, John Magufuli.

The government says more than 500 people were killed during the election unrest, without saying who was responsible.