Tanzania's journalist and human rights activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai has alleged that authorities are planning to sentence opposition leader Tundu Lissu to five years in prison while orchestrating internal divisions within the opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA).
In a statement on X on Monday, Sarungi claimed that the alleged plan is intended to keep Lissu behind bars until 2031, allowing the ruling establishment to influence the 2030 general election without facing his political challenge.
Sarungi alleged that the strategy was developed following consultations involving individuals she accused of seeking to weaken the opposition and consolidate political power.
She further claimed that Lissu's imprisonment would be accompanied by efforts to dismantle CHADEMA from within, leaving the party weakened by the time he is released.
“They are going to imprison Tundu Lissu for five years! The woman has already been advised by the Chief Justice that treason is punishable by hanging or having the case dismissed! She is not listening! She wants Lissu to come out in 2031 so that the 2030 election passes and she, Bashite or Ridhwani can contest,” Sarungi wrote.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tensions in Tanzania, where CHADEMA has been at the centre of disputes over political freedoms, opposition activities and the treatment of its leadership.
Lissu, one of Tanzania's most prominent opposition figures and a leading critic of the government, has faced a treason case that has attracted national and international attention.
His prosecution has become a major point of concern for opposition supporters, who have repeatedly called for his release and questioned the handling of the case.
Sarungi also alleged that efforts were underway to create divisions within CHADEMA, warning that individuals advocating what she described as strategic engagement and political compromise could weaken the party ahead of Lissu's anticipated court decision.
She claimed that some individuals were waiting for the announcement of the verdict before beginning moves to dismantle the party's existing political structures.
According to Sarungi, the objective is to ensure that Lissu does not return to the same political organisation he left behind when he was imprisoned.
“They have already started creating a crisis within Chadema. As Mange Kimambi said, they are waiting for Lissu's verdict to be announced before those preaching ‘wisdom’ and ‘strategic engagement’ begin leaving. They want Lissu, when he comes out, not to find the Chadema he knows, but only the ruins of a party left behind by brokers,” she stated,
Sarungi further alleged that the commission led by Judge Lila would begin summoning CHADEMA leaders for questioning, including senior opposition figures.
She specifically mentioned the possibility of other party officials being targeted, claiming that the commission's activities could be used to restore public confidence while pursuing individuals considered troublesome by the authorities.
She also alleged that politicians perceived as obstacles could face intimidation or abduction.
The activist urged opposition supporters not to lose hope, arguing that the current political situation required sustained resistance rather than waiting for external intervention.
She called for a united effort to secure Lissu's release, describing his prosecution as politically motivated and insisting that supporters should not allow him to become discouraged.
“I'm not writing this to discourage you. Far from it! I am telling you that this is the time to fight, and nobody is coming to rescue us! These people have no intention of backing down. We should fight with all our hearts, succeed or fail, but at least we will know that we did everything we could possibly do. We must get Lissu out of prison! What is happening is not a trial; it is nonsense! We must not allow him to lose hope,” she wrote.
Sarungi also warned members of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) that they should not assume they were immune from the alleged political developments.
She accused individuals within the ruling establishment of seeking to consolidate power and wealth at the expense of ordinary Tanzanians.
Her statement ended with a call for intensified political resistance, warning that the country's democratic future was at stake.
“We need to fight like hell, or we are finished as a country!” she declared, using the hashtags #TutaelewanaTu and #FreeTunduLissu.