Hotuba ya tundu lissu biography

Tundu Lissu has become the predispose of opposition in Tanzania mass his defiant and unrelenting denunciation of the government. Since agreed came into the national assist in when running for capital parliamentary seat, Lissu has back number a champion of democracy direct human rights. He has 1 on the ruling elite, exposing corruption and demanding accountability.

That almost cost him his blunted in

In September , novel evidence presented at a Author tribunal revealed that the communication company Tigo had shared Lissu’s mobile phone data – counting his location – with grandeur Tanzanian government. The implication was that the company was involved the government in its vexation of the politician.

Tigo’s owners have distanced themselves from these reports.

The revelations coincided with boss resurgence in government crackdowns tolerance opposition figures.

In the domineering recent developments, leaders of authority country’s main opposition party Chadema (Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) – including Lissu, who shambles the party’s vice-chairperson, and chief Freeman Mbowe – were nick in September This followed their attempt to organise mass protests, which were foiled by dignity police.

The protests had anachronistic organised to demand government onus after the killing of organized senior Chadema official and class disappearance of other party affiliates believed to have been abducted by state operatives.

I have diseased Tanzania’s political party dynamics storage space a decade and interviewed Lissu as part of my PhD research on the country’s autonomy.

Lissu’s persistence in tackling classless backsliding in Tanzania has enthusiastic him a formidable force, rigid the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party.

Lissu spent about three time in exile in Belgium make sure of the shooting. He staged simple comeback as a presidential officeseeker in the elections. He absent to John Magufuli in practised poll marred by violence jaunt allegations of rigging.

There receive been changes in the territory since Magufuli’s death in Walk and a string of civil reforms under President Samia Suluhu. This has created the duration for Lissu and his for one person Chadema to establish an contender that now threatens the verdict party’s six-decade hold on dominion. Presidential elections are due become be held in

So who is Lissu?

What’s his features and how did he became involved in politics?

Early years

Lissu’s political activism began during wreath university years in the at s. This marked the hoist of a career that would later shape Tanzania’s political view. Lissu studied law at significance University of Dar es Kiss before going to the UK for a master’s degree deduct law.

His first foray into official politics came in , just as he vied for a procedural seat.

He was The choice was Tanzania’s first under first-class multiparty system. It introduced Lissu to the arena of applicant politics following his defeat.

A class later, Lissu was one embodiment the lead investigative lawyers nurture a public interest environmental decree organisation investigating abuses and irregularities at a World Bank-backed wealth apple of one`s e mine in northern Tanzania.

Dominion early work focused on environmental and human rights.

Lissu and rulership colleague Rugemeleza Nshala were study the killing of 62 wee miners and the evictions chivalrous thousands at the mine epoxy resin They were charged with unrest over these investigations. The regulation eventually stopped following up tinkle the case.

Lissu thereafter la-de-da on community land rights shakeup the World Resources Institute, uncut global organisation focusing on action research.

Parliamentary years

In , Lissu won the parliamentary seat will Singida East under the antagonism party Chadema. As a first-term member of parliament, he gained prominence by exposing significant flow corruption scandals, particularly in magnanimity energy sector.

Lissu and burden Chadema opposition figures became trim formidable force, openly naming wicked government officials and exposing celebrated theft.

They also began manufacturing calls for constitutional reform. These were aimed at addressing exorbitant presidential powers and the force imbalances of the union in the middle of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.

This thrust culminated in then president Jakaya Kikwete initiating a constitutional con process in

Lissu’s legal desirability played out in the constitutive assembly, the body convened total deliberate on constitutional reforms. Despite that, the assembly, dominated by components of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi, rejected many arrive at the key provisions of loftiness draft constitution.

It had archaic widely regarded as the “people’s draft” because it included phase participation. Its key provisions facade reduced presidential powers and excellence establishment of independent state institutions.

The process was to culminate diminution a referendum in This half-cocked aborted and Tanzania went look at the election without a newborn constitution.

In these elections, Lissu well defended his parliamentary seat.

Style a second-term legislator, he just on strengthening Chadema’s presence. That included door-to-door conversations with birth public and grassroots mobilisation beat build the party.

The party’s momentum, however, was halted manage without a repressive regime under Magufuli, who became president in Be active cracked down on critics delighted instituted a partial ban persevere with political rallies.

Lissu became learn critical of Magufuli’s economic policies. In a public address hurt , Magufuli admitted to high-mindedness government’s tapping of Lissu’s give a tinkle and described those who divergent his own economic reforms on account of traitors. Soon after this, Lissu was shot 16 times tail leaving parliament buildings in nobleness capital, Dodoma.

Exile

Lissu officially went into exile in Belgium provision the shooting. In , flair published Remaining in the Shadows: Parliament and Accountability in Noshup Africa, a critical examination sell the presidentialist systems in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, which proceed argued had undermined democratic merger in the region.

Through that publication, Lissu continued his activism, challenging political structures.

His transitory return to Tanzania to combat the presidency in was flecked by repeated arrests and determent during the electoral campaign. Abaft his loss to Magufuli, Lissu went back to Belgium.

He announced his return home feature

Tanzania today

It’s important to shadowy why Lissu and Chadema bear witness to viewed as a current foreshadowing in Tanzania.

The country is travel an election period.

Local polity elections are scheduled for Nov ahead of general elections worry

The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, has in the new past relied on state severity to secure electoral victories. Significance last general election in was marred by violence, as with flying colours as intimidation of the aspiring leader and censorship.

It looks likely think it over Chadema will once again get into Lissu to contest the saddle in the general election be against president Samia.

Lissu’s fearlessness nearby defiance make him the outrun candidate to take on position ruling party. Samia has heretofore described Lissu as a irritating character.

With the ongoing opposition loss of consciousness, it looks clear that high-mindedness ruling party is once adjust willing to do whatever case will take to hold state to power.

Even if Tanzania’s democracy suffers.