Latest news with #ChamaChaMapinduzi
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tanzanian opposition leader makes defiant appearance at treason trial
The leader of Tanzania's main opposition party has appeared in court at a hearing in an ongoing trial on charges of treason, in which he potentially faces the death penalty. Tundu Lissu issued a message of defiance to supporters on Monday as he took his place in the dock at Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court in the capital, Dar-es-Salaam. The trial has added to rising concerns across East Africa about threats to democracy. Lissu entered the courtroom with his fist raised in the air as supporters chanted, 'No reforms, no election', according to a video of the courtroom shared by his Chadema party on X. 'We will be fine. … Don't worry at all,' Lissu said as he addressed supporters. The opposition leader, who came second in the 2020 presidential election, insisted on attending the proceedings in person after being forced to appear via videolink from prison for an earlier hearing on April 24. Lissu, who was shot 16 times in a 2017 attack, was charged with treason last month over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to rebel and disrupt presidential and legislative elections scheduled for October. His Chadema party has been disqualified from this year's polls after demanding changes to an electoral process that it said favours the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, which has been in power since the country's independence from British rule in 1961. A series of high-profile arrests has highlighted the rights record of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who plans to seek re-election in October. She has insisted that the government is committed to respecting human rights. However, several Kenyan rights activists, including a former justice minister, said they were denied entry to Tanzania as they tried to travel to attend Lissu's trial. The former minister, Martha Karua, a prominent lawyer and opposition politician, and former Supreme Court President Willy Mutunga were among those detained when they landed at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar-es-Salaam, they said on X. Tanzania's immigration spokesperson Paul Mselle did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 'Today was going to be a big day, and we went out there in solidarity,' Karua told the Kenyan broadcaster NTV on Monday after she was denied entry and sent back to Nairobi. 'The state cannot be used as a personal tool. You cannot deport people whom you don't like, who are not aligned to your views.' Mutunga and rights activist Hussein Khalid were being held in an interrogation room at Julius Nyerere airport on Monday and were expected to be deported, Khalid said on X. Karua said last month that Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were 'collaborating' in their 'total erosion of democratic principles' amid rising concerns regarding democracy across East Africa. Ethiopia's leading opposition party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, was banned from any political activity last week, before elections due by June 2026 at the latest. South Sudan has repeatedly delayed holding its first national elections, and President Salva Kiir has placed longtime rival First Vice President Riek Machar under house arrest. Rwandan President Paul Kagame last year won re-election with more than 99 percent of the vote amid long-running accusations of repression targeting the opposition.
Al Jazeera
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Tanzanian opposition leader makes defiant appearance at treason trial
The leader of Tanzania's main opposition party has appeared in court at a hearing in an ongoing trial on charges of treason, in which he potentially faces the death penalty. Tundu Lissu issued a message of defiance to supporters on Monday as he took his place in the dock at Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court in the capital, Dar-es-Salaam. The trial has added to rising concerns across East Africa about threats to democracy. Lissu entered the courtroom with his fist raised in the air as supporters chanted, 'No reforms, no election', according to a video of the courtroom shared by his Chadema party on X. 'We will be fine. … Don't worry at all,' Lissu said as he addressed supporters. The opposition leader, who came second in the 2020 presidential election, insisted on attending the proceedings in person after being forced to appear via videolink from prison for an earlier hearing on April 24. Lissu, who was shot 16 times in a 2017 attack, was charged with treason last month over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to rebel and disrupt presidential and legislative elections scheduled for October. His Chadema party has been disqualified from this year's polls after demanding changes to an electoral process that it said favours the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, which has been in power since the country's independence from British rule in 1961. #NoReformsNoElection — Chadema Tanzania (@ChademaTZ2) May 19, 2025A series of high-profile arrests has highlighted the rights record of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who plans to seek re-election in October. She has insisted that the government is committed to respecting human rights. However, several Kenyan rights activists, including a former justice minister, said they were denied entry to Tanzania as they tried to travel to attend Lissu's trial. The former minister, Martha Karua, a prominent lawyer and opposition politician, and former Supreme Court President Willy Mutunga were among those detained when they landed at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar-es-Salaam, they said on X. Tanzania's immigration spokesperson Paul Mselle did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 'Today was going to be a big day, and we went out there in solidarity,' Karua told the Kenyan broadcaster NTV on Monday after she was denied entry and sent back to Nairobi. 'The state cannot be used as a personal tool. You cannot deport people whom you don't like, who are not aligned to your views.' We, @WMutunga, @Honeyfarsafi and I, have been detained at Julius Nyerere Airport, Dar es Salaam as we came in for the observance of @TunduALissu's case. The trip was in solidarity with Tanzania lawyers and human rights defenders. They have not given reasons for the detention. — husseinkhalid (@husskhalid) May 19, 2025Mutunga and rights activist Hussein Khalid were being held in an interrogation room at Julius Nyerere airport on Monday and were expected to be deported, Khalid said on X. Karua said last month that Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were 'collaborating' in their 'total erosion of democratic principles' amid rising concerns regarding democracy across East Africa. Ethiopia's leading opposition party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, was banned from any political activity last week, before elections due by June 2026 at the latest. South Sudan has repeatedly delayed holding its first national elections, and President Salva Kiir has placed longtime rival First Vice President Riek Machar under house arrest. Rwandan President Paul Kagame last year won re-election with more than 99 percent of the vote amid long-running accusations of repression targeting the opposition.
New Indian Express
26-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Inclusivity one step to gender justice, say speakers
HYDERABAD: Panama's Minister for Women's Affairs María Alejandra Panay called for better pay equity, improved digital access, and greater representation of women in science and leadership. Highlighting the systemic inequalities faced by women in Latin America, she said: 'One in three women experience sexual harassment. And many indigenous, migrant and young women remain invisible in mainstream policymaking.' On Friday, leaders from various countries attended a panel discussion on Justice and a Feminist Future, under the theme 'Delivering Global Justice' at the Bharat Summit 2025. Congress MP Praniti Shinde spoke on the need for structural reform in implementing inclusivity, particularly concerning the LGBTQ+ community. Citing Telangana's Mythri scheme, which supports transpersons in law enforcement roles, she stated, 'We need less talk and more action. Inclusion must be visible in employment, budgeting, and governance.' Former Union minister MM Pallam Raju referred to policy frameworks such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Right to Education Act and the Mahalakshmi scheme, which offers free bus travel for women in Telangana. He said education and mobility play a vital role in community upliftment. 'When a woman in a family is educated, the whole family gets educated,' he said, noting the wider impact of women's empowerment on social and economic development. Former Union minister Salman Khurshid advocated tax incentives to increase women's employment and questioned the underrepresentation of women in heavy industries such as infrastructure. 'Women must be part of every sector. The answer is not just the right laws—but the right mindset—and the right men who stand for this cause,' he said. Former Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde spoke of the challenges in Europe, particularly declining birth rates and structural disincentives for working women. She called for tax policy reforms and stressed the urgent need for universal childcare. 'If families cannot combine work and parenting, gender equality will remain out of reach,' she said, adding that any backlash against feminism must be firmly countered. The session was attended by Rabia Abdallah, senior leader from Tanzania's Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM); Monica Fein, a Socialist Party politician from Argentina; Hamid Maysoon; Wael Alatoom; and Undram Chinbat, an MP from Mongolia. Rahul, Kharge in Kashmir, summit plenary postponed The Bharat Summit-2025 commenced in Hyderabad on Friday with delegates from various countries participating in the discussions on a range of current issues. However, the plenary session was postponed to Saturday as AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi travelled to Srinagar to meet those injured in the Pahalgam terrorist and Rahul were expected to deliver the keynote addresses. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was also absent due to the rescheduling of the plenary session. The inaugural day included panel discussions on topics such as Gender Justice and a Feminist Future, Fact vs Fiction: Countering Disinformation, Youth and Politics of Tomorrow, and Shaping New Multilateralism. Speakers — leaders, policymakers and experts across various sectors — on each panel shared their respective views during the sessions. Organisers, including Congress leaders and state government officials, welcomed the participants at the start of the summit. AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, several ministers, MPs and MLAs were present at the summit on the first day. Saturday's agenda includes panel discussions on Overcoming Polarisation with Pluralism, Diversity and Respect, Accelerating Climate Justice, Economic Justice in Uncertain Times, and Peace and Justice in a Multipolar World. The summit will conclude with a valedictory session, following which delegates are expected to visit the Indira Mahila Shakti Bazaar at Shilparamam. 'Youth gravitating towards far right a disturbing trend' During a panel discussion on 'Youth and the Politics of Tomorrow', organised as part of Bharat Summit, young political leaders, scholars and activists from across the world tackled some of the most pressing issues facing global youth today: climate change, inequality, political polarisation and civic disengagement. The session featured participants from India, New Zealand, Latin American and several other countries, each bringing their own unique perspectives shaped by their cultural and political landscapes. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, MP G Vamshi Krishna, MLC Balmoor Venkat, NSUI president Varun Choudhary, New Zealand MP Arena Williams, Liinesh Selluandan, Maina Hay, James Steve Serrano and Jesus Tapia participated in the panel discussion. Panelists expressed serious concern over about growing political polarisation, particularly among youth. 'There's a disturbing trend of young boys gravitating toward the far right, fuelled by social media algorithms that reward sensationalism over substance,' said the New Zealand MP Arena Williams. This phenomenon, she noted, is reshaping democratic discourse and influencing voting behaviour in dangerous ways. Answering a question on nepotism in politics, minister Ponnam Prabhakar stated that there were many leaders like him who have come from grassroots without any backing. He said that youth should take part in the parliamentary proceedings. The discussion concluded with a strong consensus: young people are not just stakeholders in future policies -- they are essential participants in shaping them now.
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
New world should embrace liberal and progressive thoughts: Salman Khurshid
Hyderabad Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid said that as the world is being churned into a new global order, progressive liberal values cherished by the Congress assume significance, and the new global order embraces liberal and progressive thought. Speaking to reporters at the Global Summit, along with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers D. Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar and others, Mr. Khurshid hoped the summit would become a regular feature in the years to come, propagating progressive thoughts. He said the Bharat Summit was an initiative of the Telangana government and this would help build the global profile of Telangana adding to the global stature of India. He said Data and analysis were essential to achieve the vision of social justice, and like-minded countries have shown great support by participating and sharing the values. He termed the event as a progressive alliance. Mr. Vikramarka said the discussions have been held around youth empowerment, social justice, and the rise of Telangana. 'Through this summit, we are also promoting Telangana as an investment destination. Our government's welfare initiatives have been widely discussed,' he said, explaining how Telangana government was making its global footprint visible by securing investments from across the world. The first day of the summit had different sessions including one on Gender Justice and a Feminist Future attended by Ann Linde, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden; Rabia Abdallah, senior leader from Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in Tanzania; Monica Fein, a Socialist Party politician in Argentina; Hamid Maysoon; Wael Alatoom; Maria Alejandra Panay, Minister for Women Affairs, Republic of Panama; and Undram Chinbat, a Member of Parliament from Mongolia. Former Union Minister M.M. Pallam Raju highlighted policy frameworks like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Right to Education Act, and Telangana's Mahalakshmi Scheme, which provides free bus rides to women. Power of youth The session on 'Youth & Politics of Tomorrow' was attended by Uday Bhanu Chib; Varun Choudhary; Arena Williams, a woman MP from New Zealand; Liinesh Selluandan; Marina Hay; James Steve Serrano; Jesus Tapia. They argued that youth are not just change-makers but the foundation for a better future, and involving young people in political institutions creating opportunities within current systems was important.
eNCA
24-04-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Tanzania opposition officials arrested as leader faces treason hearing
Tanzania's main opposition party said 13 officials had been arrested on their way to a rally to support their leader Tundu Lissu on Thursday as he faced a charge of treason in court. Lissu, who faces a potential death sentence if convicted, refused to take part in the hearing because he could only appear by video link. Authorities in the east African country have increasingly cracked down on the opposition Chadema party ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls in October. Lissu's party was disqualified from the forthcoming elections after it refused to sign an electoral code of conduct. "Some of our party officials have been arrested," Chadema spokesperson Brenda Rupia told AFP, including deputy chairperson John Heche and secretary general John Mnyika. Nine of the 13 arrested were later abandoned in a wood, a party official said. Chadema said one man was killed after being beaten by police as hundreds gathered outside the court in the business capital Dar es Salaam, where Lissu's hearing was due to take place. AFP was unable to verify the claim of a death. Police were yet to comment. "Authorities are not doing justice to us. They forget that this is a country for us all," said supporter, Baraka Kunenga, 60. Lissu, 57, has been arrested multiple times over the years and narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in 2017. His Chadema party has accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan of returning to the repressive tactics of her predecessor, John Magufuli. Chadema said Lissu refused to appear by video link to the court on Thursday "as conducting the hearing virtually goes against the principle of transparency and the defendant's right to a fair hearing". He has not been seen since a brief court appearance on April 10, when he was charged with treason, which has no option of bail, and "publication of false information". - Optimism denied - The president's party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), won an overwhelming victory in local elections last year but Chadema says the vote was not free or fair since many of its candidates were disqualified. Chadema has said it would boycott the upcoming elections in October without reforms, including a more independent Electoral Commission and clearer rules to ensure candidates are not removed from ballots. It says its subsequent disqualification is unconstitutional. A lawyer by training, Lissu entered parliament in 2010 and ran for president in 2020. He was shot 16 times in a 2017 attack that he says was ordered by his political opponents. After losing the 2020 election to Magufuli, he fled the country. He returned in 2023 on a wave of optimism as Hassan moved to relax some of her predecessor's restrictions on the opposition and the media. Those hopes proved short-lived. Rights groups and Western governments are increasingly critical of renewed repression, including the arrests of Chadema politicians as well as abductions and murders of opposition figures. In Dar es Salaam on Thursday, police erected a barricade around the court in the face of criticism from many of the gathered supporters.
