Politics 21 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Tanzania High Court Orders Tundu Lissu to Defend Treason Charges
Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu has been ordered by the High Court to present his defence in a treason trial. The court found that prosecutors had provided sufficient evidence for Lissu to answer the charges. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/tanzania-court-lissu-has-case-to-answer-5566740
Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu must now defend himself against treason charges after a significant ruling by the country’s High Court. A three-judge panel at the High Court’s Dar es Salaam Sub-Registry determined on Friday, August 21, 2026, that the prosecution has presented enough evidence to warrant a trial.
Lissu, chairman of the opposition party Chadema and a former presidential candidate, has been in detention for 14 months. The treason charge, stemming from statements allegedly made at a party meeting on April 3, 2025, could carry the death penalty if he is found guilty.
Prosecutors allege that Lissu incited the public to disrupt the 2025 General Election. Statements attributed to him include: “If they say this position amounts to rebellion, it is true … because we are saying we will stop the election, we will mobilise rebellion … that is how we will bring change … we are going to make things happen … we will disrupt this election for real … we are going to make things happen very badly.”
However, the court clarified that at this stage, its role was not to assess the credibility of the evidence but to determine if enough had been presented to potentially secure a conviction. The judges considered whether the prosecution had established Lissu’s allegiance to Tanzania, which was not disputed as he acknowledged his citizenship.
Evidence presented, including testimony from a witness present at the meeting, was deemed by the court to have established a sufficient link between Lissu and the charges. “Therefore, this court finds that the accused has a right to defend himself against the evidence presented by the prosecution,” stated presiding judge Dunstan Ndunguru.
The treason case is linked to political tensions surrounding the 2025 election, with Chadema having declared it would not participate unless specific electoral reforms were implemented. Lissu’s defence stage will now commence, potentially extending his time in custody.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)