Tundu Lissu, the thorn in President Suluhu’s flesh

His long-running clamor against the ruling regime saw him survive an assassination attempt in 2017, where he was shot 16 times, unsuccessfully ran for presidential office in 2020, and then went into exile until his return to the East African nation in 2023.

During his return, he maintained his censure against the President Samia Suluhu-led regime, accusing her of repression against critics similar to that of the late President John Magufuli's era.

Samia took over leadership from Magufuli after he died in 2021, shortly after securing leadership for a second term.

He also spoke out against human rights violations and recent abductions and disappearances of citizens, including opposition officials.

The 57-year-old maintained his activism until his arrest in April this year after being charged with treason - a crime punishable by the death penalty in Tanzania.

Lissu has asserted that he will still mount pressure on the state despite his seemingly crippled endeavor, noting he will ensure that fair reforms are instituted before the General Election in October.

His party, Chadema, has been barred from contesting the election after it refused to comply with the electoral commission's requirement to sign a code of conduct.

The document's key objective is to ensure that political parties and their supporters maintain good conduct, a regulation the party sees as a ploy to contain the opposition, and a bulwark to bolster state repression.

His hearing was scheduled for Monday, May 19, at the Kisutu Magistrates' Court.

Diplomatic scrutiny

This saw the East Africa Law Society inviting legal representatives to the hearing, among them People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua.

Alongside Karua, activists, mostly from Kenya, were also expected to be present at the hearing.

They were however detained at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam on Sunday and some were deported back to Kenya.

Karua said she, alongside Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Council member Gloria Kimani and member of the Pan-African Progressive Leaders Solidarity Network Lynn Ngugi, were detained at the airport on Sunday afternoon.

The PLP party termed the trio’s “disgraceful” deportation "a blatant violation of the principles of the East African Community.”

“That a prominent East African stateswoman can be treated in this manner, without due process or cause, is a stain on the integrity of regional cooperation,” the party said in a statement.

It added: “This shameful action by President Samia Suluhu's regime reflects a deep-seated fear of democratic scrutiny and the retrogressive entrenchment of authoritarian rule in Tanzania.”

Later in the evening, Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and Kenyan activists Hanifa Adan and Hussein Khalid were also denied entry into Tanzania.

Meanwhile, armed men identifying as officers showed up at activist Boniface Mwangi's hotel room in Dar es Salaam on Sunday night.

He also posted a video where he refused to open his hotel room door for the men, telling them he was afraid of being abducted.

The matter has raised questions on why Kenyan activists and top lawyers are being denied entry into Tanzania.

President Suluhu's regime has been accused of increasingly moving to quash dissent, with police frequently breaking up rallies and arresting members of Lissu's opposition Chadema party.

Her party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has won every election since independence, and is unlikely to easily let go of its stranglehold on power.