CHADEMA says the opposition leader will appeal against Friday's four-year prison sentence as Amnesty International calls for his release.

Published 9 Nov 2026, 10:19 GMT

2 min read

Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu with supporters and police — Tundu Lissu (file photo)

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Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu has been acquitted of treason by a court in Dar es Salaam, but convicted of incitement and sentenced to four years in prison.

The verdict was delivered on Friday, November 6, under heavy police security as officers escorted the chairperson of Tanzania's main opposition party, CHADEMA, into a packed courtroom.

Video posted by CHADEMA on X showed Lissu escorted by guards, some masked, raising his fist and shouting "Do not fear!" in Swahili, before telling supporters in the dock, "We will arrive."

Lissu was arrested in April 2025 over a speech in which prosecutors alleged he told supporters the opposition would "block the election" and "mobilise rebellion". He pleaded not guilty, arguing his remarks broke no law.

CHADEMA spokesperson Brenda Rupia told Reuters that Lissu would appeal against the four-year sentence, while chief legal counsel Rugemeleza Nshala said his legal team would seek bail pending the appeal.

"Tundu Lissu should never have been arrested, let alone prosecuted and convicted," said Tigere Chagutah, the group's regional director for East and Southern Africa.

Lissu's arrest and CHADEMA's disqualification from the October 2025 election triggered protests across multiple cities. President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the vote with nearly 98 per cent, and a commission she appointed reported in April that at least 518 people died in the unrest.

United States Ambassador to Tanzania William Trachman wrote on X on Thursday, November 5, that he was closely following the case and its "broader implications for the rule of law", after Washington began reviewing bilateral relations last December.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

Tanzania&#39;s Tundu Lissu cleared of treason, jailed four years for incitement

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Tanzania's Tundu Lissu cleared of treason, jailed four years for incitement

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