Tundu Lissu of the opposition Chadema party in Tanzania has been charged with treason over comments allegedly inciting the public to a rebellion.
Lissu who was arrested on Wednesday following a statement a political rally was denied a plea bargain and detained after being paraded in a Dar es Salaam court on Thursday.
He has denied any wrongdoing and would appear in court on April 24th.
His words over introducing reforms as a preconditions to holding elections are seen by the authorities as inciting the public to undermine the peace and prevent October’s polls from going ahead.
Lissu and Chadema are demanding a radical change in personnel at the electoral commission and President Samia Suluhu Hassan should have no say in appointments to the body.
His Chadema party has been holding rallies with a No Reforms, No Election” slogan aimed at putting pressure on the government to that effect.
Lissu believes that far-reaching reforms would usher in a more levelled political playing field for all candidates ahead of the polls.
Samia who was installed into office as Tanzania’s first woman president shortly after the death of President John Magufuli in 2021 has indicated her wish to run for the presidency.
The crackdown on the opposition will intensify scrutiny on her government’s human rights record going into the polls.
There were running battles between Chadema supporters and the police who used tear gas to chase down protesters in Dar es Salaam after Lissu was whisked to court.
A press conference Chadema had planned to hold over his arrest was disrupted.
Lissu is said to have been unsuccessfully targeted by 16 shots for assassination in the past and left Tanzania on self-imposed exile before returning to contest the 2020 elections against Magufuli.
He had challenged the results, claiming widespread fraud before leaving the country again.
After Samia came to power and rang some changes to free up the political space for the opposition Lissu returned to Tanzania in 2023.
WN/as/APA