CHADEMA chairman Tundu Lissu’s brother, Advocate Allute Lissu Mughwai, has died while receiving treatment at Selian Regional Hospital in Arusha, Tanzania.
Mughwai died at around 2am on Sunday, November 1, 2026, according to a family member who spoke to The Citizen.
His sister, Rose Masesa, said he had been unwell for a long time but his condition had improved in recent days, raising hopes that he would soon travel to Dar es Salaam.
However, his health deteriorated suddenly, forcing the family to rush him to hospital, where he later died.
“We were shocked by the sudden deterioration because he had been doing better, and we expected him to travel to Dar es Salaam,” Masesa said.
The family said funeral arrangements were being held at the deceased’s home in Arusha, with details of his burial yet to be announced.
Mughwai attended Mwenge Secondary School and Mirambo High School before proceeding to the University of Dar es Salaam, where he studied law from 1979 and graduated in 1982.
He subsequently worked in the Attorney General’s office in Arusha, handling criminal prosecutions and civil matters for the government until 1989. He left public service and began private legal practice in 1990, building a career that spanned more than four decades.
He also participated in legal advocacy through professional associations, including the Tanganyika Law Society, and was involved in regional legal matters through the East African Law Society.
Despite being the elder brother of one of Tanzania’s most prominent opposition figures, Mughwai was a longtime member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
In an interview published by The Chanzo on October 28, 2026, he said he joined CCM in 1976 and was among its founding members when the party was formed in 1977.
He described himself as a follower of the political ideals of Tanzania’s founding president, Julius Nyerere, while expressing reservations about the party’s current direction.
His political affiliation did not prevent him from publicly defending his younger brother, particularly during Tundu Lissu’s legal battles.
In 2019, he acted on his brother’s behalf in a court application challenging Parliament’s decision to remove him as Singida East MP.
He also spoke publicly on behalf of the family following the September 2017 shooting of Tundu Lissu, calling for independent investigations into the attack.