Tanzania's High Court is scheduled to deliver judgment today, Friday 6 November 2026, in the treason case against opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Lissu has pleaded not guilty. The charge is one count of treason under Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code, which reporting says relates to intent to threaten the government. Treason can carry a penalty of up to death; reports differ on whether the sentence is mandatory.
The court and the case so far
The judgment is to be delivered by a three-judge panel in Dar es Salaam chaired by Justice Dunstan Ndunguru, with Justices James Karayemaha and Ferdinand Kiwonde. On 21 August 2026 the panel ruled that Lissu had a case to answer, which sent the trial into its defence phase.
What has not been announced
As of Thursday, the time of the hearing and the security arrangements for Friday had not been announced. It was also unclear whether the full judgment would be read in open court. No date has been set for sentencing or mitigation, which would follow only in the event of a conviction.
Lissu is also facing a separate charge of publishing false information, filed on 10 April 2025. Its current status is not clear from the reporting available.
