Jailed Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu has threatened to stop eating and taking medication from Monday unless authorities allow him private access to his lawyers.
The CHADEMA leader, has been in detention for more than 18 months and faces a treason charge that carries the possibility of the death penalty. A final ruling in his case is scheduled for November 6.
According to his lawyer, Lissu is prepared to stop taking both food and medication as a form of protest against the alleged restrictions. He maintains that his fight is not merely a personal matter but also concerns the protection of the rule of law and the right to access justice.
Lissu’s political career has been marked by a near-fatal assassination attempt. In September 2017, he was shot multiple times by unidentified gunmen in Dodoma, Tanzania’s capital, while serving as a Member of Parliament.
He survived the attack after receiving emergency medical treatment and undergoing extensive medical care, including treatment abroad. The shooting left him with serious injuries and necessitated numerous surgeries.
His survival and eventual return to political life strengthened his prominence within Tanzania’s opposition movement, where he has remained a vocal critic of the government.
Lissu’s latest threat to embark on a hunger strike marks another development in his prolonged legal and political confrontation with the authorities. The dispute has renewed concerns over his detention, his access to legal representation and the broader state of political freedoms in Tanzania.