On July 27, 2020, Tundu Lissu, a prominent opposition leader, returned to Dar es Salaam after three years in exile in Belgium, where he underwent over 20 surgeries following a September 2017 assassination attempt, per UNHCR records. Shot 16 times in Dodoma while serving as a Chadema MP, Lissu fled due to ongoing threats.
On August 4, 2020, Chadema nominated him as its presidential candidate to challenge President John Magufuli in the October 28 elections, affirming his influence within the party.
Confronting Repression
Lissu’s candidacy targets the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), in power since Tanzania’s 1961 independence. Magufuli’s administration banned opposition rallies, restricted press freedom, and arrested critics, per Amnesty International. Lissu faced eight arrests in 2017, charged with incitement and sedition, per UNOCHA. “The past five years under Magufuli have been hell for Chadema,” he told AFP, citing killings, abductions, torture, and trumped-up charges against opposition leaders.
COVID-19 Mismanagement Criticized
Lissu slammed Magufuli’s COVID-19 response as a “national embarrassment.” Magufuli declared Tanzania “COVID-free” in June 2020, halting case reporting since May and promoting prayer over masks, per WHO. With 509 cases and 21 deaths reported by May 2020, per Africa CDC, Lissu called the data blackout “a disaster,” accusing Magufuli of denying the pandemic’s severity.
Surviving Assassination
The 2017 attack left Lissu with one leg shorter after 16 bullets struck his limbs, waist, and stomach. “It took a long time to put me back on my feet,” he said, noting no arrests despite Magufuli’s call for an investigation, per Human Rights Watch. The incident, widely linked to political motives, made Lissu a symbol of resistance against CCM’s authoritarianism.
Electoral Hurdles
Lissu acknowledged slim chances for free elections, stating, “The issue is whether we’ll survive the process.” The National Electoral Commission, controlled by Magufuli appointees, later suspended his campaign for seven days in October 2020 for alleging vote-rigging, per UN data. With CCM’s entrenched power, Lissu’s campaign faces significant obstacles, despite strong support within Chadema.
Path Forward
Lissu’s candidacy energizes Chadema’s base in a repressive climate. To compete, he must navigate electoral restrictions and rally public support against CCM’s dominance, leveraging his survival story to highlight the need for democratic reforms and transparent COVID-19 management in Tanzania.
