Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Martin Chungong, has visited CHADEMA party chairman Tundu Lissu at Ukonga Prison in Dar es Salaam, according to a statement released by Tanzania’s main opposition party.
The visit took place on May 28 and was described as part of the IPU’s ongoing efforts to follow developments surrounding the investigation into the September 7, 2017, shooting of Lissu, who was serving as a Member of Parliament at the time.
In a public statement issued on May 31, CHADEMA said Chungong’s prison visit followed separate discussions with Tanzanian police authorities regarding the status of investigations into the attack, which left Lissu seriously injured and forced him to undergo lengthy medical treatment abroad.
According to the party, Lissu told the IPU Secretary General that nearly nine years after the shooting, there has been no thorough and satisfactory investigation into the attack and no decisive action against those responsible.
“Since the shooting occurred, no comprehensive and satisfactory investigation has been conducted, nor have meaningful measures been taken against the perpetrators,” CHADEMA quoted Lissu as saying during the meeting.
The statement further claimed that Lissu renewed his call for the international community to take appropriate action over what he described as the Tanzanian government’s failure to adequately address the matter.
The September 2017 attack remains one of the most significant cases of political violence in Tanzania’s recent history. Gunmen fired multiple rounds at Lissu’s vehicle outside his residence in Dodoma, leaving the opposition politician with severe injuries.
Authorities have previously stated that investigations into the incident have continued over the years, although no suspects have been publicly prosecuted in connection with the shooting.
CHADEMA said Chungong’s visit comes as the IPU prepares to hold one of its major meetings in Tanzania in October 2026.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union has followed Lissu’s case for several years through its human rights mechanisms and has repeatedly sought updates regarding the investigation into the shooting.
Neither the Tanzanian government nor police authorities had publicly commented on the contents of the prison meeting by the time CHADEMA released its statement.
The visit comes at a politically sensitive moment as Tanzania moves closer to its next electoral cycle, with Lissu remaining one of the country’s most prominent opposition figures despite his ongoing legal and political challenges.
