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Daily Maverick
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Donors urged to suspend aid to Tanzanian government after ‘poisoning attempt' on detained opposition leader
Tundu Lissu, a lawyer and human rights advocate who survived a previous assassination attempt in 2017 when he was shot 16 times, was arrested in April 2025 and remains detained on 'politically motivated charges of treason'. Lawyers for Tanzania's imprisoned opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, have called on donor countries to suspend aid to the country's government because of 'credible reports' of an attempt to poison Lissu while in custody. The law firm Amsterdam & Partners LLP, international counsel for Chadema — the main opposition party, which Lissu leads — said it was alarmed by the reports of the attempted poisoning. 'The attempt, first brought to light by Chadema party officials, marks a chilling escalation in the systematic persecution of political opposition figures under the administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan,' said the firm. Robert Amsterdam, founder and managing partner of the firm, said, 'The latest attack on my client is not an isolated act, but part of a broader campaign to silence and destroy the political opposition in Tanzania. 'From fabricated treason charges, unlawful detention and denial of legal access, to the targeting of opposition supporters and foreign activists, the Tanzanian government has crossed every red line of democratic legitimacy. 'Chadema has previously warned of deliberate repression, with numerous members abducted, detained, or harassed in recent months. The poisoning attempt is just the latest in a pattern of politically motivated abuses. 'In light of these developments, Amsterdam & Partners LLP is calling on all donor states and institutions providing budgetary support to the Tanzanian government to immediately suspend such aid pending independent investigations and demonstrable reform. 'President Hassan should hang her head in shame. We will be actively engaging with donor governments in the coming days to urge a suspension of support. No government should subsidise state violence against democratic opposition.' Lissu, a lawyer and human rights advocate who survived a previous assassination attempt in 2017 when he was shot 16 times, was arrested in April 2025 and remains detained on what Amsterdam called 'politically motivated charges of treason'. The firm said it had filed an application with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in response to Lissu's arrest and detention. 'The apparent poisoning attempt adds a new and deeply disturbing dimension to his detention,' it said. Lissu was arrested and charged with treason — which can carry the death penalty — for calling on Tanzanians to disrupt the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for October, because, he said, they would not be free and fair. Chadema has been disqualified from the polls for demanding changes such as an independent electoral commission to ensure a fairer contest. Hassan's party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, has been in power since the country's independence from British rule in 1961. Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm based in Washington, DC, and London, with a focus on political advocacy and human rights. DM
Daily Maverick
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Tanzania turns back clock to brutal, repressive Magufuli era as elections loom
President Samia Suluhu Hassan's government is increasingly abusing anti-terrorism legislation to suppress genuine political opposition before the October polls, according to NGO Intelwatch. The government of Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan 'has begun a systematic, unrelenting and brutal clampdown on critics, opposition leaders, civil society and even foreign activists' ahead of the October 2025 elections. Hassan's government is also increasingly abusing anti-terrorism legislation to suppress genuine political opposition before the polls, according to a report, Tanzania's Repression of Dissent under the Guise of Counterterrorism by Intelwatch, a South African-based NGO dedicated to strengthening public oversight of state and private intelligence agencies in southern Africa and around the world. 'The human rights situation has regressed to levels reminiscent of the Magufuli era, marked by enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and systematic repression,' the report says, referring to Hassan's predecessor John Magufuli, who became notorious for his brutal crackdowns on any political dissent. 'The counterterrorism task forces, notorious for the alleged kidnapping and killing of perceived government critics, have resurfaced with full force, targeting opposition figures, activists and journalists,' the report continues. Tundu Lissu arrest It cites in particular the arrest on 9 April 2025 of opposition Chadema party leader Tundu Lissu on charges of treason, which carries a potential death penalty. This was because he vowed that Chadema would boycott and disrupt the elections in the absence of reforms, such as an independent electoral commission to ensure free and fair polls. His arrest almost ensures that the October elections will go ahead without any real opposition to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the report says. The report notes that after encouraging signs of political reform after she succeeded Magufuli in 2021, Hassan has reverted to type ahead of the elections, deploying the same methods and colonial-era and anti-terrorism legislation to undermine political freedoms and curtail opposition activities to ensure the CCM maintains its unbroken grip on power since independence. The report notes that especially after the 9/11 bombings in the US in 2001, Tanzania came under especially US pressure to strengthen its counterterrorism legislation, particularly adding provisions to address money laundering to curtail terrorism financing. Abuse of legislation However, it adds that instead of combating terrorism, these tougher measures have been repeatedly used to 'quash political opposition, muzzle independent journalism and target human rights defenders'. It cites the case of at least 50 leaders of the Association for Islamic Mobilisation and Propagation (Uamsho), a Muslim group advocating for Zanzibar's secession from the union with Tanzania, who were detained for almost nine years from 2012 to 2021. 'Despite their release, it is estimated that at least another 150 clerics are still behind bars', the report says. The report cites the case of Wilfred Lwakatare, an opposition leader from the main opposition party Chadema, who was arrested in 2013 and fought lengthy court battles before being released. Chadema leader Freeman Mbowe was arrested in 2021 – under Hassan's presidency – on terrorism charges for allegedly financing terrorist activities with the intent of assassinating government officials. No credible evidence was presented and Hassan had the case dropped after behind-the-scenes negotiations between her and Mbowe. The report says the abuse of anti-terror legislation took off with President Jakaya Kikwete and peaked under Magufuli, who was elected in 2015 and died in office in 2021, apparently of Covid. Extrajudicial killings and disappearances spiked under Magufuli. A 'credible' estimate is that security forces killed at least 3,000 people between 2016 and 2020, the report says. Tanzania plunged in the World Press Freedom Index, from 71 in 2016 to 124 in 2021 (out of 180 countries) after the government introduced stringent regulations curtailing freedom of expression. The police actively monitored internet and social media communications 'to suppress debates and messaging which portrayed Magufuli in an unfavourable light'. Optimism snuffed out The report notes that when then vice-president Hassan succeeded Magufuli, there was initial optimism that she might usher in a new era of respect for the rule of law and human rights, particularly concerning counter-terrorism efforts. She did introduce some political reforms, notably lifting Magufuli's ban on political rallies; ordering the release of prisoners facing money laundering, economic sabotage and terrorism charges; freeing the 36 Uamsho clerics; issuing a stern warning to the police and security agencies against targeting civilians; and appointing a bipartisan task force to propose minimum electoral reforms ahead of the 2025 elections. However, very little came of these moves and the hopes of reform were dashed when opposition Chadema leader Mbowe was arrested. As it became clear that the state had no evidence against him, and under mounting domestic and international pressure, Hassan eventually released Mbowe in exchange for 'reconciliation' talks between Chadema and CCM. Brutality after democracy pretensions abandoned The Intelwatch report says, 'if any evidence were needed to confirm that President Hassan and her advisers have abandoned all pretensions to democracy and reform, it is the recent wave of attacks on foreign human rights defenders that came to support Lissu ahead of his treason trial'. It notes that a group of politicians, jurists and human rights activists from the region, including former Kenyan Minister of Justice Martha Karua, 'renowned Kenyan human rights defender' Boniface Mwangia, and Agather Atuhairet, a 'high-profile Ugandan lawyer-activist', were detained at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam on 18 May 2025. They were kept in police custody for four days, the report said. Karua and Athuhairet were 'brutally tortured, humiliated and tormented… both … suffered inhuman, degrading and brutal treatment'. They were allegedly handcuffed and blindfolded, told to strip naked and tortured, and sexually assaulted before being dumped on the Kenyan border, the report said. But the report adds that such cases are not new, as opposition figures have continued to disappear or be murdered under Hassan's rule. It cites Chadema's secretary, Ally Kibao, who was kidnapped in September 2024 from a bus in broad daylight. His lifeless body, the face burned with acid, was dumped in a forest. In July 2024, 24-year-old artist Shadrack Chaula was sentenced to two years in prison or a fine of $2,000 for drawing and burning a picture of President Hassan. After paying the fine and securing his release, Chaula 'disappeared less than a month later and has never been seen again'. State repression The report says that 'Tanzania's transformation into a surveillance state has been largely facilitated by external actors who have provided sophisticated technological capabilities, training and operational support to the country's security apparatus.' It cites mainly China, Russia and Israel for supplying such technology, though also mentioning Western countries. The report concludes that 'the history and evolution of state repression in Tanzania reveals a disconcerting narrative of a democracy in decline — one in which counterterrorism has become a euphemism for authoritarian consolidation. 'Under the guise of ensuring national security, successive leaders have normalised arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, digital surveillance and the silencing of dissent. 'The brief moments of optimism under President Hassan's early presidency, when reformist rhetoric suggested a push towards democratic renewal, have quickly given way to the weaponisation of terrorism legislation against opposition leaders such as Tundu Lissu. 'The brutal treatment of foreign human rights defenders, and the systemic targeting of journalists and activists indicate an intensification of the repressive apparatus honed under President Magufuli. 'Held in such an atmosphere of digital authoritarianism and the attendant fear and repression, the October 2025 elections are unlikely to produce an outcome reflecting the democratic will of Tanzanians.' Intelwatch urged the international community, regional partners and Tanzanian citizens to address the crisis 'with urgency and resolve' or 'the Tanzanian model will become a blueprint for future repression across Africa'. DM
Globe and Mail
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Leader of Tanzania's main opposition party could face death penalty
The security at the court building was extraordinary: a rooftop sniper, police with dogs and tear-gas launchers, vans with darkened windows, and a small army of black-masked guards with armoured jackets and submachine guns. But the defendant in the courtroom is not a dangerous terrorist. He is a politician, a leader of Tanzania's main opposition party who faces a highly organized operation to prevent him from running in this year's election. Tundu Lissu, chairman of the Chadema party, is on trial for treason − a charge that carries the death penalty. His prosecution, protested by human-rights groups around the world, exposes the sharp decline of democracy in a country that Western donors have long favoured with billions of dollars in aid. Mr. Lissu has endured countless arrests and attacks over the past decade. In 2017, gunmen with assault rifles sprayed dozens of bullets at his vehicle, nearly killing him. After three years in exile and a long recovery in hospital from 16 bullet wounds, he returned fearlessly to politics, contesting Tanzania's 2020 election as an opposition candidate and finishing second in official results. This year, Tanzania's authoritarian government seems determined to prevent him from running again. His party has been banned from the October election after authorities accused it of failing to accept an electoral code of conduct. Many of its top officials, along with other activists, have been arrested or harassed in recent weeks. And now, Mr. Lissu faces a potential death sentence. He was arrested in April after he called for reforms in Tanzania's electoral system. 'This is not a normal trial,' the 57-year-old politician told the judge at his latest hearing on Monday. 'I have not been sentenced, yet I am held in the death-row block. I am watched night and day. I cannot speak to my lawyers in private. Not a single private conversation has been allowed.' From 2020: Gunshots and tear gas fail to deter Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu He described how two guards keep him under constant watch, day and night. He is even barred from joining other detainees in the prison's exercise yard. Instead, he is required to walk alone in a dirty drainage-ditch area. Because his conversations with his lawyers are closely monitored, Mr. Lissu told the court that it is impossible for him to discuss strategy with them and he will be obliged to defend himself without any lawyers. Wearing a shirt emblazoned with the opposition slogan – 'No reforms, no election' – he smiled and flashed a victory sign at local reporters. Outside the court, his supporters chanted his name and waved placards demanding justice, but their voices were nearly drowned out by police sirens. Most of his supporters were denied permission to enter the crowded courtroom. A senior Tanzanian official told The Globe and Mail that the government's goal is to keep Mr. Lissu in prison until after the October election, to prevent him from running. After the vote, he will be quietly released, the official said. The Globe is not identifying the official because he could face retribution from the authorities for speaking out. Tanzania has been governed by a single party since its independence in 1961. The ruling party, today known as Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM, the Revolutionary Party), has dominated all aspects of Tanzanian life and rarely tolerates much dissent. Its opponents have accused it of rigging recent elections to deliver huge majorities to CCM. Freedom House, a U.S.-based democracy and rights group, recently announced that it had downgraded Tanzania's status from 'partly free' to 'not free' because of the government's repressive measures. Despite this, Tanzania has remained a Western aid darling, and one of the largest recipients of Canadian foreign aid. Canada has provided $3.4-billion in international assistance to Tanzania since its independence, including $141-million in 2023-24, according to data from Global Affairs Canada. As the election approaches, a growing number of opposition politicians and activists have been kidnapped in what amount to 'enforced disappearances,' according to a report by United Nations human-rights experts. They described it as 'a flagrant tactic to suppress dissent.' In one of the most shocking cases, two activists from Kenya and Uganda who tried to attend Mr. Lissu's treason trial were arrested and disappeared for days. They were later dumped in remote border towns. Both gave detailed accounts of how they were tortured and sexually assaulted by Tanzanian security agents. Even churches have fallen victim to the crackdown. This month, authorities ordered the shutdown of a prominent church and arrested a dozen of its worshippers after its bishop criticized the disappearance of opposition activists. The bishop, Josephat Gwajima, is an outspoken MP who has complained of 'creeping authoritarianism' in the country. Witnesses described how police raided the church, even arresting a disabled woman in a wheelchair, dragging her away and throwing her into a police vehicle. Mr. Gwajima has fled into hiding, leaving a prerecorded sermon in which he says: 'They can shut down the church, but they cannot shut down the people's spirit.' Last Sunday, hundreds of his followers held a defiant outdoor service. 'We are not criminals,' said Rehema Moses, a long-time congregant. 'We are citizens exercising our right to believe.'
Al Arabiya
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Tanzanian Opposition Leader to Represent Himself in Treason Trial
The main opposition leader in Tanzania was granted permission on Monday to represent himself in his treason trial after being denied the right to meet his lawyers in private by prison authorities. Tundu Lissu was arrested on April 9 and charged with treason after addressing a public rally calling for electoral reforms ahead of planned general elections in October. Lissu's Chadema party has been critical of the absence of an independent electoral commission and laws that favor the ruling CCM party, which has been in power since Tanzania's independence in 1961. Lissu survived an assassination attempt after being shot 16 times in 2017, three years before the last election. The opposition leader told the court on Monday that he was being forced to speak to his lawyers through a phone in a small room and was worried that anyone could be listening to or recording the conversations. 'I have more than 30 lawyers who I trust very much. Today is the 68th day since I was arraigned and charged with treason, but my lawyers have been repeatedly denied the right to see me in private,' Lissu said. The chief magistrate at the Kisutu court in Dar es Salaam, Franco Kiswaga, said Lissu would be allowed to engage directly with the prosecution unless he later decides otherwise. He urged the prosecution to speed up investigations and set a hearing date for July 1. Lissu also protested what he called a denial of basic rights, including the right to worship. He said he was being held in a section of the prison designated for inmates sentenced to death, even though he has not been convicted. Human rights activists have accused Tanzania's government, led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, of heavy-handed tactics against the opposition. The government denies the claims.
Associated Press
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Tanzanian opposition leader to represent himself in treason trial
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) — The main opposition leader in Tanzania was granted permission on Monday to represent himself in his treason trial after being denied the right to meet his lawyers in private by prison authorities. Tundu Lissu was arrested on April 9 and charged with treason after addressing a public rally calling for electoral reforms ahead of planned general elections in October. Lissu's Chadema party has been critical of the absence of an independent electoral commission and laws that favor the ruling CCM party, which has been in power since Tanzania's independence in 1961. Lissu survived an assassination attempt after being shot 16 times in 2017, three years before the last election. The opposition leader told the court on Monday that he was being forced to speak to his lawyers through a phone in a small room and was worried that anyone could be listening or recording the conversations. 'I have more than 30 lawyers who I trust very much. Today is the 68th day since I was arraigned and charged with treason, but my lawyers have been repeatedly denied the right to see me in private,' Lissu said. The chief magistrate at the Kisutu court in Dar es Salaam, Franco Kiswaga, said Lissu would be allowed to engage directly with the prosecution unless he later decides otherwise. He urged the prosecution to speed up investigations and set a hearing date for July 1. Lissu also protested what he called a denial of basic rights including the right to worship. He said he was being held in a section of the prison designated for inmates sentenced to death, even though he has not been convicted. Human rights activists have accused Tanzania's government, led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, of heavy-handed tactics against the opposition. The government denies the claims.
