Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu was arrested on Wednesday moments after addressing a public gathering in the Mbinga district, his party CHADEMA has confirmed. The arrest, which included several other party members, comes amid mounting concerns over political repression ahead of national elections later this year.
Lissu, chairman of CHADEMA and a prominent critic of the government, has been touring the country under the slogan “No Reforms, No Election,” demanding sweeping changes to the electoral framework. The party announced on its official X account that police used teargas to disperse attendees at the rally and that Lissu’s whereabouts remain unknown.
“Tundu Lissu has been arrested by the police in Mbinga district when he had just finished addressing a public meeting. Up to now it is not known which police station he has been taken to,” CHADEMA stated.
A regional police commander declined to comment, citing an ongoing meeting when contacted by Reuters.
Human rights organisations have accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government of increasingly targeting opposition figures in recent months, charges the administration denies.
Lissu, a former presidential candidate and vocal advocate for democratic reform, survived a 2017 assassination attempt after being shot 16 times. His arrest is likely to intensify scrutiny over the fairness of Tanzania’s upcoming electoral process and deepen fears about the space for political dissent in the East African nation.
