Tanzania's main opposition party has selected Tundu Lissu as its new leader in preparation for the general elections scheduled for October. He is poised to be the presidential candidate for the CHADEMA party and is expected to compete against the incumbent President, Samia Suluhu Hassan. So, who is Tundu Lissu, and what are his prospects in the upcoming elections?
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00:00Brave and fearless, that's how supporters view Tundu Lissu, Tanzania's newly elected
00:09opposition leader.
00:11He gained national attention in 1995 at the age of 27 during Tanzania's first multi-party
00:17election.
00:18Since then, he has branded himself as a champion of democracy and human rights.
00:22Lissu first became an MP for Chadema in 2010, representing a constituency near his birthplace
00:29in Singida, 320 kilometers northwest of Dodoma.
00:33He quickly became a vocal critic of the late President John Magufuli's administration.
00:38His candid criticism came at a heavy cost.
00:41In 2017, after then-President Magufuli acknowledged tapping his phone, Lissu was shot 16 times
00:49outside the parliament.
00:50Remarkably, he survived, underwent 20 surgeries in Kenya and Belgium, and then emerged even
00:56more determined to advocate for political change in Tanzania.
01:00In 2020, Lissu ran for the presidency but lost by a significant margin to the incumbent
01:06John Magufuli in an election tainted by allegations of irregularities.
01:11Despite the loss, his resilience and commitment to democracy solidified his reputation as
01:16an opposition leader.
01:18Now 57 years old, the lawyer and activist is set to stand against incumbent President
01:23Samir Sulu Hassan in the upcoming October elections.
01:27Lissu's victory as Chadema's leader comes at a critical time amid a government crackdown
01:31on the opposition in the East African country and internal divisions within his party.
01:37Chadema officials have also been protesting the disappearance of party members believed
01:41to have been abducted by state operatives.
01:44Under Lissu's leadership, the opposition has renewed its call for electoral reforms
01:48ahead of the presidential polls to ensure free and fair elections.
01:53Analysts argue that the fragmentation of the opposition may hinder Lissu's chances against
01:58President Samir Sulu, who has been nominated as the presidential candidate for her ruling
02:03CCM party.
02:05More than 31 million Tanzanians are eligible to vote in the upcoming polls.