Dodoma [Tanzania], May 20: The leader of Tanzania's main opposition party has appeared in court at a hearing in an ongoing trial on charges of treason, in which he potentially faces the death penalty.
Tundu Lissu issued a message of defiance to supporters as he took his place in the dock at Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court in the capital, Dar-es-Salaam. The trial has added to rising concerns across East Africa about threats to democracy. Lissu entered the courtroom with his fist raised in the air as supporters chanted, "No reforms, no election", according to a video of the courtroom shared by his Chadema party on X.
"We will be fine. . Don't worry at all," Lissu said as he addressed supporters. Lissu, who came second in the 2020 presidential election, insisted on attending the proceedings in person after being forced to appear via videolink from prison for an earlier hearing on April 24.
Lissu, who was shot 16 times in a 2017 attack, was charged with treason last month over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to rebel and disrupt presidential and legislative elections scheduled for October. His Chadema party has been disqualified from this year's polls after demanding changes to an electoral process that it said favours the ruling party.
Source: Qatar Tribune