Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, announced on Saturday that its senior leader, Tundu Lissu—who had recently been arrested on fraud charges—was transferred to another prison, a day after the party had raised alarm over his whereabouts.
Lissu’s detention has reignited public scrutiny of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s human rights record ahead of her re-election campaign scheduled for the end of October.
President Hassan has often claimed her administration is committed to human rights and good governance.
According to CHADEMA spokesperson Brenda Rupia, party officials met with Tanzania’s prison authorities, who informed them that Lissu had been relocated.
“CHADEMA would like to inform the public that Tundu Lissu has been moved to Ukonga Prison,” said Rupia.
The Tanzania Prisons Service spokesperson, Elizabeth Mbezi, did not respond to calls or text messages seeking clarification, according to the BBC.
On Friday, CHADEMA had stated that its officials, Lissu’s legal team, and family members tried to visit him in prison in the capital, Dar es Salaam—where he had been detained since April 10—but were unable to locate him.
