Tanzania is witnessing a growing political scandal after CHADEMA announced that Tundu Lissu has been effectively cut off from contact with his legal team and party leaders while being held at Ukonga Prison.
The party on November 30, 2025, released a statement claiming prison authorities have repeatedly denied visits, even to senior members following proper procedures.
The statement claims that when senior party officials, including Secretary-General John Mnyika, tried to visit Lissu, they were turned away at the prison gate and informed that all CHADEMA visits were prohibited.
The restriction appears to be perpetual, raising alarm among human rights groups and triggering calls for immediate intervention.
After addressing supporters at a political rally in Mbinga town under the slogan “No Reforms, No Election,” Lissu was taken into custody on April 9, 2025.
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The next day he was charged with treason and related cybercrime offenses—a move that many observers consider part of a wider crackdown on dissent ahead of the 2025 general election.
He was initially held at Keko Prison before being transferred to Ukonga Prison on April 19, 2025, a decision confirmed by both the prison authorities and CHADEMA leadership.
In June 2025, Lissu fired over thirty attorneys and decided to represent himself in protest of allegedly being denied private consultation with his legal team.
He argued that prison conditions prevented any meaningful, confidential communication with his lawyers.CHADEMA officials describe the prison blockade on Lissu as more than just harsh confinement—they see it as a deliberate attempt to silence the opposition.
Leaders of the party claimed in a statement released on November 30 that such a move is “an abuse of state institutions” and that it goes against both international and national standards for the treatment of detainees.
Legal experts share this worry, cautioning that limiting visits and denying a prisoner access to legal representation compromises the integrity of due process. Some have noted that the alleged actions breach the rights guaranteed under both Tanzanian law and global human rights instruments.
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