Dar es Salaam. Treason defendant Tundu Lissu has concluded his cross-examination of the lead investigator in his case, after questioning him for three days in a process lasting over 11 hours.
In his final questions on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Mr Lissu focused on the deaths of individuals during and after the October 29 2025, General Election, as well as on people arrested on suspicion of plotting crime following the statements that led to his prosecution.
Mr Lissu, Chairman of the opposition party, Chadema, faces the charges in the High Court, Dar es Salaam Sub-Registry, before a three-judge panel presided over by Justice Dunstan Ndunguru, Justice James Karayemaha, and Justice Ferdinand Kiwonde.
In this case, Mr Lissu is charged with treason contrary to Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code, arising from statements he made regarding an intention to prevent the 2025 General Election from taking place.
He is alleged to have incited the public on April 3, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, as a Tanzanian citizen, to prevent the 2025 General Election from being held by uttering and publishing words aimed at pressuring Tanzania’s top executive leader, saying:
“If they say this position indicates rebellion, it is true... because we are saying we will prevent the election, we will incite rebellion, that is how we get change... so we are going to disrupt things... we are really going to mess up this election... we are going to cause serious disruption...”
Today, the 16th prosecution witness, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Amini Mahamba, from the Dar es Salaam Police Headquarters Sub-Office, Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), who led the investigation team, concluded his evidence-in-chief.
Following the conclusion of his primary evidence, Mr Lissu began cross-examining him on Monday, a line of questioning that concluded today.
An excerpt of the cross-examination proceeded as follows:
Lissu: Tell the judges whether you intended for your testimony in the dock two days ago to be believed by the court as truthful evidence.
Witness: To be believed by the court.
Lissu: Tell the judges whether you intended for the statement you wrote at the police station to be used in court as truthful evidence.
Witness: To be used.
Lissu: Tell the judges if you have anywhere explained the reason for the discrepancy between what you wrote and what you testified in court.
Witness: I did not write it down.
Lissu: Now tell the judges: where did those criminal allegations against the people arrested for plotting to harm others, following your alleged treasonous statements, Lissu, end up?
Witness: After reviewing the investigation files, we established that they were incited by you (Lissu).
Lissu: So, did you drop all charges against them?
Witness: That is correct; we dropped them.
Lissu: Tell the judges, according to Justice Othman Chande’s report regarding the events of October 29, 2025, did unrest occur that killed 182 people in Dar es Salaam Region, true or false?
Witness: False.
Lissu: And among those people (arrested on suspicion of being incited by your statements, Lissu), did you drop the charges against those in Arusha, who then came to testify under protection?
Lissu: According to Justice Chande’s report, in Arusha Region on October 29, 2025, 53 people were killed, even though you knew those people had said they would cause chaos?
Witness: I do not know.
Lissu: In Mbeya Region, you arrested people plotting to cause unrest, but according to Justice Chande’s report, 80 people were killed on October 29, 2025. Are you aware of that?
Witness: I do not know.
Lissu: A total of 315 people were killed across those regions on October 29, 2025. Now tell the judges if there is any RPC (Regional Police Commander) against whom you have taken action, even a single one.
Witness: I am not sure.
Lissu: Now, in Mwanza Region, according to Justice Othman Chande’s report, 90 people were killed on October 29, 2025. Are you aware of that?
Witness: I do not know.
Lissu: Tell the judges whether action was taken against the RPC of Mwanza, where security officers are also present.
Witness: I am not sure.
Lissu: In the regions of Iringa, Ruvuma, Geita, Mara, Shinyanga, and Songwe, 113 people were killed, yet there were people you had arrested for plotting unrest whom you released. Tell the judges if police commanders and security officers were held accountable.
Witness: I am not sure.
Lissu: The last time people were killed in such large numbers in this country was in 1907 during the Maji Maji War in Songea; after that, there were no such killings.
Nyerere was in power for 24 years; there were no mass killings; Mkapa, Mwinyi, and Kikwete served 10 years each, and there were no mass killings; even under Magufuli, there were killings, but on a small scale.
Now, within a week under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration, 500 people have been killed, which is more than all those years combined. Tell the judges if I am correct.
Witness: You are not correct.
Lissu: Witness, do you know that up to now you are the 16th witness, and neither you nor your colleagues have presented any video (of the statements alleged to be treasonous), statement, or investigation report document that has been admitted by the court, apart from over 15 exhibits, all of which are mine? Are you aware of that?
Witness: I am not sure.
Lissu: Are you aware that on July 10, 2026, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group issued a statement demanding the Tanzanian government release me unconditionally within 30 days, stating that if Tanzania fails to do so, action will be taken at their September 2026 meeting?
Witness: I am not aware.
Lissu: One final question, witness. Is it true or false that if the European Union and Commonwealth ministers are calling for my release within 30 days, is a person championed by these international bodies a traitor? Is he a bad person who deserves to be hanged?
Witness: I have not said that.
Following the conclusion of Mr Lissu’s cross-examination, Principal State Attorney Nassoro Katuga conducted a re-examination, leading the witness to clarify his responses on only five specific points:
Prosecutor: Witness, you were asked who published the defendant’s statements online, and you said it was him, Mr Lissu. Please clarify what you meant.
Witness: The defendant spoke before journalists who were broadcasting the conference live; therefore, that was his intention, because had he not wanted the broadcast aired live, it would not have been aired.
Prosecutor: You were asked regarding Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code (under which Mr Lissu is charged) whether words like ‘disrupting’ or ‘messing up the election’ exist, and you said they do. Clarify for the court what you meant.
Witness: The interpretation of those words amounts to threatening the government.
Prosecutor: You were asked many questions regarding the Constitution. Please clarify your responses for the Court.
Witness: The Constitution is not relevant to this case.
Prosecutor: You were asked about the events of October 29, 2025, and whether you, your team (investigating those events), and the Police Force caused unrest, and you answered no. Please clarify for the court.
Witness: My team and the Police Force established mobilisation and incitement because there were preparations for violence before the election.
Prosecutor: You were asked about the difference between your written statement to the Police and your testimony in court. Please clarify for the court.
Witness: They differ because I was answering the questions the prosecution asked me.
The case continues today, Thursday, August 13, 2026.
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