BREAKING WORLD: Tundu Lissu Wins Treason Case — But Refuses Freedom in Defiant Protest
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — October 24, 2025:
Tanzanian Opposition Leader Tundu Lissu has been acquitted of all treason charges by the Supreme Court of Tanzania, marking a major legal victory after years of political tension.
But in a bold and symbolic move, Lissu has chosen to remain in prison until October 29, 2025 — one day after the country’s General Elections.
Lissu says his decision is a protest against what he calls a rigged political system. He accuses President Samia Suluhu Hassan of deliberately keeping him imprisoned during the campaign period, effectively denying Tanzanians a fair and competitive election.
“This is a democracy robbed of choice,” Lissu declared through his legal team. “My continued imprisonment is my statement against injustice.”
For Lissu, the acquittal represents not only a personal victory but a moment to expose the state of Tanzanian democracy. His supporters have praised his refusal to walk free as both brave and defiant, capturing the anger of citizens who say the political system has been stacked against reform.
Outside the prison walls, crowds chanted “Lissu ni sauti ya wananchi” — “Lissu is the voice of the people” — as they celebrated his court victory while demanding deeper political change.
Whether Lissu’s stand will influence next week’s election remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: Tundu Lissu has turned his cell into a stage — and his silence into a powerful act of protest against a system he says still fears his voice.
