Tanzanian opposition leader imprisoned for a short time for conducting an illegal meeting

Tundu Lissu, a well-known Tanzanian opposition politician and vice chairman of CHADEMA, was briefly detained on suspicion of organizing an illegal meeting. He was, however, released on bond a few hours later.

Lissu, who has been critical of President Samia Suluhu Hassan's governance and had previously stood for president, was imprisoned at a hotel in northern Tanzania with other party leaders. A social media message from Lissu's party confirmed their release.

After six years in Belgium, Lissu returned to Tanzania in January. He took part in political rallies, primarily against President Hassan's human rights record and an unpopular port management agreement.

Former Tanzanian President John Magufuli, who served from 2015 to 2021, had a regulation banning elected officials from holding rallies outside of their districts. Such events, he argued, were a detriment to progress.

The restriction eventually became a total ban on political meetings, and opposition requests for protests were frequently denied. Even indoor political meetings were interrupted.

Despite these limitations, Magufuli continued to organize rallies and travel over the country, stopping occasionally to speak with citizens. President Hassan's government has relaxed its ban on political gatherings in an effort to repair relations with the opposition. 

According to some observers, some strict restrictions, like as the seven-month arrest of Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe on charges of "terrorism financing," have remained.