Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu plans to begin a hunger strike on Monday, October 26, in protest against alleged restrictions on his access to confidential consultations with his lawyers while in detention.

Lissu’s lawyer, Rugemeleza Nshala, announced the planned protest on Saturday, October 24, saying prison authorities had allegedly failed to comply with a High Court ruling protecting the confidentiality of meetings between the detained opposition leader and his legal team.

According to Nshala, Lissu intends to stop eating and taking his prescribed medication to pressure authorities to implement the court’s order. The lawyer said he had warned Lissu about the potential health risks associated with the decision.

The dispute follows a High Court ruling delivered on October 16, 2026, which found that prison officers had been able to overhear conversations between Lissu and his lawyers at Ukonga Prison.

The court ruled that the practice violated regulations protecting confidential consultations between detainees and their legal representatives. It directed prison authorities to allow lawyers to communicate privately with their clients while maintaining visual supervision for security purposes.

However, Nshala alleged that the restrictions had continued despite the ruling. He said lawyers who visited Lissu on October 17 and 18 were required to hold discussions within hearing distance of prison officers.

Nshala also reported difficulties during a visit on Friday, October 23, saying he was informed that Lissu had declined to meet him because the proposed arrangement did not guarantee confidentiality.

The lawyer described the alleged failure to implement the court’s decision as a violation of Lissu’s rights and raised concerns about compliance with judicial orders.

Tanzania’s Commissioner General of Prisons, Jeremiah Katungu, told the local publication The Citizen that he would follow up on the allegations to establish what had happened and how the matter could be addressed.

Lissu’s lawyer, Rugemeleza Nshala.

Treason Case Awaits November Judgment

Lissu, the chairman of Tanzania’s opposition party CHADEMA, has been in detention since April 2025, when he was arrested following calls for electoral reforms ahead of the country's general election.

He faces a treason charge arising from statements the prosecution alleges were intended to obstruct the 2025 general election. He denies the allegations, and the case is awaiting judgment.

The High Court is scheduled to deliver its judgment on November 6, 2026. If convicted, Lissu could face the death penalty under the charge against him.

His detention and prosecution have attracted attention amid wider concerns about political freedoms, due process and the treatment of opposition figures in Tanzania.

Lissu previously survived an assassination attempt in 2017, when he was shot multiple times. He also staged a hunger strike in May 2025 to protest against being required to participate in court proceedings remotely.

The planned October 26 protest places renewed focus on detainees’ rights, particularly access to legal representation and the confidentiality of communication between accused persons and their lawyers.

As of Saturday, October 24, prison authorities, police and the government had not issued public statements specifically addressing the planned hunger strike, according to reports by the Associated Press.

The situation is expected to draw further attention as Lissu’s treason case approaches its scheduled judgment.