Chadema SG Mnyika takes responsibility for meeting at centre of Lissu treason case

Dar es Salaam. Chadema secretary-general John Mnyika has taken responsibility for organising a meeting that the prosecution alleges was used by the party’s chairman, Tundu Lissu, to make statements amounting to treason.

Testifying on Friday, August 28, 2026, in the treason case against Mr Lissu before the High Court’s Dar es Salaam Sub-Registry, Mr Mnyika said he was involved in every stage of organising the April 3, 2025 meeting.

He rejected prosecution claims that Mr Lissu had convened the meeting, saying it was an internal Chadema gathering for aspiring parliamentary and other candidates ahead of the 2025 General Election.

“The idea came from him, but the meeting was organised on his instructions. I supervised the Secretariat meetings, assigned responsibilities, approved the funds as accounting officer and attended the meeting myself,” Mr Mnyika said.

Mr Lissu is charged with treason under Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code, with the prosecution alleging that he incited the public to prevent the 2025 General Election at the April 3 meeting.

The prosecution alleges that Mr Lissu made statements calling for rebellion and disruption of the election during the meeting, which was attended by Chadema members and journalists. The remarks were later published on JamboTV’s YouTube channel.

However, Mr Mnyika denied that Mr Lissu was involved in organising the meeting or inviting participants and journalists.

He said the meeting, held at Chadema’s headquarters in Mikocheni, was part of the party’s campaign for constitutional and legal reforms under the slogan, “No reforms, no election.”

Mr Mnyika told the three-judge panel, comprising Justices Dunstan Ndunguru, James Karayemaha and Ferdinand Kiwonde, that the meeting was organised by the party Secretariat.

He said the Secretariat invited aspiring candidates and senior party leaders, including Mr Lissu, Mainland deputy chairman John Heche and Zanzibar deputy chairman Said Mzes Said.

He said the party’s communications director, Brenda Rupia, was responsible for inviting journalists and issued a public notice on March 27, 2025, informing the public about the meeting.

According to Mr Mnyika, Mr Lissu was away on a party tour of the Southern Highlands, covering Mbeya, Songwe, Njombe, Iringa and Rukwa, when preparations for the meeting were underway.

“The chairman did not participate in any way in preparing the meeting. He did not invite either the aspiring candidates or journalists,” he said.

Mr Mnyika said journalists from JamboTV, The Chanzo and Mwanzo TV attended the meeting.

He also denied claims that Mr Lissu distributed the video in which he is alleged to have made the treasonous statements, saying the media had been invited to independently cover the proceedings.

He said the meeting had two parts, with journalists attending only the first session. Party leaders delivered brief speeches before Mr Lissu gave a longer address lasting about two hours.

“The purpose of inviting journalists was to allow them to exercise their freedom to gather news and inform the public about our demands for legal reforms to enable free and fair elections,” he said.

The hearing was adjourned until Monday, August 31, when Mr Mnyika is expected to continue giving evidence before facing cross-examination by the prosecution.