A coalition of 42 influential political leaders from Africa and beyond has urged Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to release jailed opposition leader Tundu Lissu and lift the ban on his party, CHADEMA, ahead of next month’s general elections.
In a strongly worded letter, the Platform for African Democrats (PAD) warned that keeping Lissu on trial for treason while excluding CHADEMA from the ballot would render the polls illegitimate. “There can be no free and fair election where the leader of the opposition is on trial and the party he leads is banned,” the letter stated, cautioning that such actions could stain Hassan’s presidency, which began with promises of reform.
This election marks Hassan’s first major electoral test since assuming office in 2021 after the sudden death of John Magufuli. While she initially pledged to open political space, critics now accuse her of sliding back into authoritarianism. Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 and returned from exile in 2022 under Hassan’s assurances of safety, argues that her government now rules with “legal subterfuge” instead of brute force—different tactics, but the same outcome: silenced opposition.
The letter, coordinated by PAD under the World Liberty Congress and supported by Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, carries signatures from notable figures including former Botswana president Ian Khama, Angolan opposition leader Adalberto Costa Jnr, Zimbabwe’s Tendai Biti and David Coltart, Mozambican presidential hopeful Venâncio Mondlane, and former Lesotho prime minister Moeketsi Majoro, among others.
Lissu’s treason trial remains under global scrutiny. Prosecutors allege he incited civil resistance to undermine national security, but his lawyers insist the charges are politically motivated and a direct attack on free expression. The case drew further concern after live coverage was banned in August, limiting public transparency.
Meanwhile, the disqualification of CHADEMA from the polls has sparked outrage. Lissu claims the party’s five-year suspension was punishment for refusing to endorse a partisan electoral code imposed by the national commission, describing it as “political assassination by other means.”
With the election just weeks away, Tanzania faces growing pressure at home and abroad. Civil society groups, international observers, and PAD warn that Hassan’s handling of the situation will define both the credibility of the 2025 polls and her legacy as president. Whether she chooses reform or repression could shape Tanzania’s democratic future for years to come.
