The high-stakes treason trial of Tanzanian opposition titan Tundu Lissu has heard explosive testimony detailing a grassroots mobilization allegedly designed to sabotage the 2025 General Election. In a hushed courtroom in Dar es Salaam, a senior police officer took the stand to describe how intelligence reports led to the disruption of what the state claims was an insurrectionist plot.

The witness, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Geofrey Aggrey, serving as the prosecution’s ninth witness, provided a granular account of the events of April 3, 2025. His testimony is the state’s attempt to anchor the treason charge—a charge that carries the heaviest of penalties—in concrete actions rather than just political rhetoric. Lissu, the Chadema national chairman, stands accused of inciting the public to paralyze the democratic process, a claim he and his supporters vehemently deny as political persecution.

The Morombo Incident

ASP Aggrey testified that while on patrol in Arusha, he received a critical radio call from Superintendent Boni Mgogo, the Acting Regional Crime Officer. The intel was specific: youths gathered at a "bajaji" (tuk-tuk) stand in the Morombo area were allegedly "mobilizing each other to prevent the 2025 General Election." This specific location and activity form the crux of the prosecution's argument that Lissu’s words had incited real-world disorder.

Upon arriving at the scene, the court heard, the police unit found the gathering in progress. "Upon seeing the police, the youths fled," Aggrey told the court, painting a picture of guilt and panic. However, two suspects were cornered and arrested. Under interrogation, these youths reportedly confessed to being foot soldiers in a larger campaign. "The suspects stated that they were supporting Mr. Lissu’s call to prevent the election and cause chaos," Aggrey claimed, directly linking the opposition leader to the street-level agitation.

• The Charge: Tundu Lissu is charged under Section 39(2)(d) of the Penal Code with treason, specifically for "uttering and writing words pressuring the Head of State."
• The Evidence: The prosecution has introduced the testimony of arresting officers and is expected to rely on the "confessions" of the arrested youths to prove intent.
• The Defense: Lissu’s legal team is expected to challenge the admissibility of these confessions and argue that political protest is not treason.

A Test for Tanzanian Democracy

This trial is being watched closely by diplomatic missions and human rights organizations across East Africa. The state is attempting to draw a straight line from Lissu’s fiery speeches to the alleged chaos in Morombo. If they succeed, it could criminalize radical opposition dissent. If they fail, it will be seen as a vindication of Lissu’s long struggle against the establishment. As the trial continues, the line between maintaining order and suppressing democracy remains the central, contested battleground.