00:01Tanzania's opposition leader, Tundu Lisu, is to face trial on treason charges after a court ruled that he has a
00:07case to answer.
00:09The head of the opposition, Chidema Party, has been detained since April last year for allegedly inciting the public to
00:15boycott the November elections.
00:18Tanzania faced international criticism for its violent repression of protests around the polls, with opposition and rights groups saying thousands
00:25were killed.
00:25Security was tight on Friday as his supporters packed the High Court for the ruling, which was also attended by
00:32foreign diplomats.
00:33Lisu, a long-time campaigner who returned from exile in 2023, has faced multiple arrests over the years and survived
00:41an assassination attempt in 2017.
00:43The ruling by a three-judge bench came days after prosecutors presented evidence and 17 witnesses testified against him.
00:51Lisu, who represented himself, said the judges needed to ensure he could meet his lawyers who have not been allowed
00:57to visit him in jail.
00:58He also asked them to summon several high-ranking government officials, including President Samir Suluhu Hassan, he intends calling as
01:06defense witnesses.
01:07If found guilty, he could face the death penalty.
01:09of chemistry.
01:10of the
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