Tanzania: Verdict imminent for Tundu Lissu, tried for treason

After 19 months in detention, Tundu Lissu, Tanzania’s main opposition leader, is due to learn the verdict in his treason trial on Friday; the charge could carry the death penalty. He was arrested before the October 2025 presidential election for allegedly calling for a boycott of the vote. A crackdown by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government during the campaign triggered deadly protests: opposition figures and human rights groups cite thousands killed, while the government reports 518 deaths. Security was tightened in Dar es Salaam ahead of the verdict, which analysts warn could spark further violence, and Lissu’s Chadema party urged supporters to attend the hearing in large numbers.