Tanzania’s main opposition leader Tundu Lissu was moved on April 19 to Ukonga Maximum Security Prison in Dar es Salaam, the opposition party CHADEMA said.
Party officials confirmed that Lissu was transferred from Keko Central Prison, where he had been detained since his arrest on April 10.
He faces treason and dissemination of false information charges arising from remarks made at a rally in Mbinga District, Ruvuma Region, and was remanded in custody until April 24 for his next court appearance.
The relocation follows a day of uncertainty after CHADEMA leaders, lawyers and family members were unable to locate him in Keko Prison, prompting fears among his supporters.
When first brought to the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court on April 11, Lissu was denied the opportunity to enter a plea on the treason count and pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of publishing false information.
Neither government spokespeople nor prison authorities have provided comment on the transfer, maintaining silence despite repeated inquiries from journalists.
A former runner‑up in the 2020 presidential election, Lissu has campaigned under the slogan no reforms no election, urging an independent electoral commission and transparent voter registration procedures.
Critics note that treason in Tanzania carries the death penalty and view the charges as part of a broader tightening of political space under President Samia Suluhu Hassan ahead of the October general election.
Human rights organisations have raised alarm over the recent arrests and alleged disappearances of opposition figures since President Hassan took office in 2021.
Lissu earlier survived a 2017 assassination attempt in which he was shot sixteen times and has since emerged as a leading advocate for democratic reform in Tanzania.
His transfer to Ukonga Prison, a facility reserved for those charged with serious offences such as terrorism and murder, underscores the gravity of the state’s case against him.
With less than six months to go before the October elections, Lissu’s transfer highlights the fraught environment for opposition voices in Tanzania. Observers say the handling of his case will serve as a barometer of the government’s commitment to human rights and democratic norms as the country prepares to vote.
