Expelled CCM member Pastor Malisa slapped with fresh cybercrime case

In the newly filed case, Criminal Case No. 000028411 of 2025, prosecutors accuse Pastor Malisa of publishing information on his YouTube channel alleging that President Samia Suluhu Hassan should resign for allegedly overseeing the killing of thousands of Tanzanians.

The cybercrime case, which will also be mentioned on January 16, 2026, is being heard by Magistrate Mkama and falls under Section 16 of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015, as amended in 2023.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors allege that on November 15, 2025, at Miembeni area in Moshi District, Pastor Malisa published the statements on a YouTube account named Godfrey Malisa.

The charge sheet, filed on November 3, 2025, quotes him as having said: “Samia Suluhu Hassan should resign immediately because she has been a President who has overseen the killing of thousands of Tanzanians.”

The prosecution claims he published the statements knowing they were false and with the intention of misleading the public.

Incitement charge

In a second count under the same case, Pastor Malisa is charged with incitement, contrary to Section 35 of the Penal Code, Chapter 16, as amended in 2023.

Prosecutors allege that on November 15, 2025, also at Miembeni in Moshi District, he incited members of the public to commit a criminal offence by participating in an unlawful assembly.

Treason case

Separately, Pastor Malisa is facing a treason charge under Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code, Chapter 16, as amended in 2023.

According to the charge sheet, it is alleged that on November 16, 2025, while in Miembeni area, Moshi District, and owing allegiance to the United Republic of Tanzania, he intended to mobilise the public to participate in an unlawful assembly aimed at intimidating the government.

Prosecutors allege that he expressed this intention by uttering and publishing statements warning of nationwide demonstrations unless President Samia resigned by December 9.

The accused was not required to plead to the treason charge, which carries the death penalty upon conviction.

Pastor Malisa joins hundreds of Tanzanians who have faced treason charges, either for publishing information or for participating in demonstrations held on October 29, 2025, which the government declared illegal.

Some suspects were later discharged after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) entered notices of discontinuance under Section 91(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act.

This followed a directive by President Samia Suluhu Hassan instructing the DPP to withdraw charges against youths who had joined the demonstrations by following the crowd. The protests resulted in violence, deaths and destruction of property.

The President made the remarks on November 14, 2025, while addressing Parliament at the opening of the 13th Parliament in Dodoma.

Political background

Pastor Malisa first entered politics in 2010 when he contested the Moshi Urban parliamentary seat under the Tanzania Labour Party (TLP).

In 2015, he ran for the presidency under the CCK party and later sought the post of Speaker. He contested the Kinondoni parliamentary seat in 2018 under TLP and the Moshi Urban seat in 2020 on the NCCR Mageuzi ticket.

He later joined CCM but was expelled in February 2025 after opposing the party’s decision to endorse President Samia as its sole presidential candidate.

The decision was announced by CCM Kilimanjaro Regional Secretary Merce Mollel, citing repeated public criticism of party resolutions.

Despite his expulsion, Pastor Malisa continued to challenge the endorsement through the courts and on social media, though without success.