Court extends Lissu treason case hearing by 14 days

Dar es Salaam. The High Court’s Dar es Salaam Sub-Registry has extended by 14 days the hearing of treason charges facing Chadema chairman Tundu Lissu, directing both sides to cooperate to ensure the case is concluded within the additional period.

The hearing, which began on August 10, 2026, was scheduled to end on September 7 before the case was adjourned to another date.

However, proceedings continued after the scheduled period ended, with the fourth defence witness yet to complete her evidence-in-chief.

Justice Dunstan Ndunguru, who is leading the three-judge panel alongside Justices James Karayemaha and Ferdinand Kiwonde, announced the extension on behalf of the panel.

“You will recall that, according to the cause list, today was the final day scheduled for hearing this matter,” said Justice Ndunguru.

“However, the matter has been extended for 14 days from today, with the aim of ensuring that it is concluded within this period," he added.

Justice Ndunguru urged both sides to avoid unnecessary questions and issues that had no bearing on the case or would not be used in determining the matter, saying such interventions only wasted the court’s time.

Lissu speaks on remaining witnesses

Following the judge’s directive, Mr Lissu said that once the witness who began testifying on Monday completed her evidence, he would have only one more witness remaining before the court ruled on objections raised against some of his proposed witnesses.

“That is fine, My Lord. Apart from this witness who is giving evidence today, Brenda, I have only one witness remaining to conclude the witnesses I have listed. I will then await your decision regarding the other witnesses,” said Mr Lissu.

Among the witnesses Mr Lissu has listed but whose testimony has been challenged are President Samia Suluhu Hassan, former Vice-President Philip Mpango, former Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and senior officials of the security and defence organs.

Mr Lissu, who is also a lawyer, is facing a treason charge under Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code, Revised Edition 2023.

The prosecution alleges that on April 3, 2025, while a Tanzanian citizen, Mr Lissu intentionally incited the public to prevent the 2025 General Election from taking place by making and publishing statements online intended to pressure the Head of State.

Among the statements attributed to him are: “This position signals rebellion ... because we are saying we will stop the election, we will encourage rebellion ... that is how we will bring change ... so we are going to stir things up ... especially this election, we are going to disrupt it completely ... we are going to stir things up very badly.”

Defence witness denies Lissu organised media event

The fourth defence witness, Chadema Director of Communications and Dissemination Brenda Rupia, 34, began giving evidence on Monday.

Among other things, Ms Rupia told the court that Mr Lissu was not involved in organising a meeting of aspiring candidates at which he is alleged to have made statements threatening the government, nor was he responsible for inviting journalists to the event.

Led in her evidence-in-chief by Mr Lissu, Ms Rupia said the meeting, held on April 3, 2025, at Chadema headquarters in Mikocheni, was organised by the party secretariat under Secretary-General John Mnyika.

She said she was responsible for inviting journalists to cover the meeting.

According to Ms Rupia, the meeting was organised for aspiring candidates seeking various positions in the 2025 General Election to discuss the party’s “No Reforms, No Election” campaign.

She told the court that on March 27, 2025, she issued a media statement announcing the meeting and inviting journalists.

The statement was subsequently posted on the party’s social media platforms.

Ms Rupia therefore maintained that Mr Lissu neither invited the media nor organised the meeting, adding that the invitation sent to journalists contained no instructions on what they should bring or how they should carry out their work.

She said the meeting was attended by aspiring candidates, members of the party secretariat and senior Chadema leaders, including chairman Mr Lissu,

Zanzibar deputy chairman Said Mzee, Mainland deputy chairman John Heche and Secretary-General Mr Mnyika, as well as deputy secretaries-general from both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The media organisations present included Mwanzo TV, Chanzo TV, Jambo TV, ITV, Mwananchi and other online outlets.

Ms Rupia told the court that Mr Lissu was the main speaker at the meeting and had no other role in organising the event.

“The chairman did not stream the broadcast because he is not an employee of Jambo TV, nor was he aware that Jambo TV was present,” she said.

“I do not know whether the chairman was aware that journalists had been invited because that is not part of his responsibilities.”

She further explained that the owner of a media organisation owns the content it records, meaning that content produced by Jambo TV during the meeting belonged to the broadcaster.

The case was adjourned until Tuesday, September 8, 2026, when Ms Rupia is expected to continue with her evidence-in-chief before being cross-examined by the prosecution.