Tanzanian police have recently detained two senior opposition leaders, John Heche and John Mnyika, as they were on their way to a court hearing for Tundu Lissu, the leader of the CHADEMA party, who faces treason charges. The arrests occurred in Dar es Salaam, and the reasons for the detentions remain unclear, raising concerns about the treatment of opposition figures in Tanzania.

Tundu Lissu, a prominent opposition leader and presidential runner-up in 2020, is accused of delivering a speech that incited the public to rebel and disrupt the October election. He has not been allowed to enter a plea on these charges, which have drawn significant attention to the government’s handling of political dissent. The case has also spotlighted the human rights record of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking re-election. While Hassan has stated her government respects human rights, critics argue that the charges against Lissu and the detentions of opposition leaders contradict these claims.

Authorities in Tanzania have been increasingly cracking down on the opposition Chadema party ahead of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary polls. Lissu could face the death penalty if convicted of treason. His party has been disqualified from participating in the elections after refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct, which Chadema argues was designed to ensure the ruling party remains in power.

Chadema accuses President Samia Suluhu Hassan of reverting to the repressive tactics of her predecessor, John Magufuli. The recent detentions and charges against Lissu have led to widespread condemnation. Amnesty International has called for Lissu's immediate and unconditional release, criticizing what they describe as a campaign of repression by Tanzanian authorities.

Lissu, who has been arrested several times in the past, has led a forceful charge against the government, vowing that his party would not participate in polls without significant electoral reforms. Chadema has demanded voting reforms, including a more independent Electoral Commission and clearer rules to prevent candidates from being removed from ballots. Lissu warned last year that Chadema would "block the elections through confrontation" unless the system was improved.

A lawyer by training, Lissu entered parliament in 2010 and ran for president in 2020. He survived an assassination attempt in 2017, where he was shot 16 times. After losing the 2020 election to Magufuli, he fled the country but returned in 2023 as Hassan relaxed some restrictions on the opposition. However, those hopes have been short-lived, with rights groups and Western governments increasingly critical of renewed repression.

The situation in Tanzania is being closely watched by opposition parties and international observers as tensions rise in the lead-up to the next presidential election. Concerns continue to mount regarding the government’s treatment of political opponents, free speech, and political expression.