Seasoned political commentator Herman Manyora has questioned the rationale behind Tundu Lissu’s arrest, arguing that the CHADEMA candidate had little chance of defeating President Samia Suluhu in a transparent election.
Speaking on Tuesday, Manyora said that detaining Lissu served no legal purpose and instead harmed the credibility of the political system.
“Tundu Lissu would not have beaten Samia Suluhu in a free and fair election. You could not have beaten CCM. She has done a great disservice to CCM, the party, because now she has opened up CCM to attack,” Manyora said during an interview with Radio Generation.
He emphasized that Lissu had committed no wrongdoing that justified his detention, which effectively barred him from competing for the presidency.
According to Manyora, such actions have left the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) exposed to criticism, weakening the party’s once-unassailable position in Tanzanian politics.
“Strong political organisations like CCM thrive on the perception of invincibility. Once that perception is damaged, restoring confidence becomes extremely difficult,” he explained.
Manyora compared the situation to established institutions such as the University of Nairobi or Nairobi Hospital, which maintain public trust despite internal challenges, but lose credibility when vulnerabilities are revealed.
He warned that President Suluhu’s leadership may have delivered a major setback to CCM, placing the party in a period of political inactivity that could last years.
“Samia has put the last nail in CCM’s coffin. It has now gone into a political cold which will take a long time before its glory returns,” Manyora said.
He also cautioned that without proper steps to stabilize the political environment, Tanzania risks returning to instability.
Manyora suggested that President Suluhu, who assumed office under controversial circumstances, may not complete her full five-year term.
Lissu has had his treason case postponed once more after prosecutors were unable to bring him to court, citing heightened security risks in Dar es Salaam and the absence of key witnesses from Ruvuma and Mbeya.
CHADEMA, Lissu’s party, confirmed on Monday that the case, which was set to continue with the testimony of the fourth prosecution witness, did not proceed as planned.
This marks a repeat of delays, following a previous adjournment on November 3, also linked to security challenges.
During proceedings in Monday, State Counsel Thawabu Issa informed the High Court that the Prisons Department could not present Lissu in court due to safety concerns.
He added that witnesses expected from Ruvuma and Mbeya were unable to travel for the same reason.
Prosecutors requested a 14-day adjournment under Section 302 of the Criminal Procedure Act to allow arrangements to be made.
However, the court, led by Justice Dastan Ndunguru, rejected the request and instead adjourned the case for two days to November 12, 2025.
