Kenyan lawyer and politician Martha Karua has called for the release of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu following the death of his elder brother, Alute Lissu Mughwai.
Karua said Lissu should be allowed to leave prison and join his family in mourning Alute, who died on November 1, 2026, after a prolonged illness.
In a statement posted on X on November 2, 2026, Karua expressed her condolences to Lissu and the entire family, recalling that she had met the deceased during a visit to Tanzania in April 2025.
Alute, who was also a lawyer, had appeared at Kisutu Court to represent his younger brother.
“This personal encounter makes his passing particularly close to my heart,” she wrote.
The former Justice Minister said it was painful that Lissu had to receive news of his brother’s death while in detention and could not stand with his family during the mourning period.
She also highlighted his role in advocating for freedom, justice and democracy in the region.
“Tundu Lissu has been at the forefront of this struggle—standing firmly for the rights of his people and the democratic future of our region,” Karua said.
She described the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death as particularly difficult, noting that the family had postponed the burial arrangements.
“It is profoundly painful that a man who has given so much to the struggle for freedom must now face such a personal loss without the freedom to grieve as he should,” she stated.
“We will continue to stand with Tundu and to demand his release. He ought to be free to mourn his brother, to stand with his family in this hour of grief, and to continue the struggle for a more just, free and democratic East Africa.”
Alute died in Arusha in the early hours of November 1, 2026, after being unwell for a long time. His younger brother, Vincent Lissu, described him as a father figure and role model, particularly to Tundu.
The family has postponed the burial, which is expected to take place at Mahambe Village in Ikungi District, Singida Region, to allow relatives to attend the judgment in Tundu Lissu’s treason case.
The High Court in Dar es Salaam is scheduled to deliver its judgment on November 6, 2026. The family has said it will communicate further funeral arrangements after the court proceedings.
Lissu, the national chairman of the opposition party CHADEMA, has been in detention since his arrest on April 9, 2025. He faces a treason charge linked to remarks he made during the campaign for electoral reforms ahead of Tanzania’s 2025 General Election.
Karua’s appeal follows her previous involvement in Lissu’s case. In May 2025, she and two other Kenyan lawyers were detained and deported from Julius Nyerere International Airport while travelling to observe court proceedings.
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