Edwin Sifuna, Bobi Wine, among 47 world leaders calling for release of Tanzania opposition leader Tundu Lissu

As the clock ticks towards Tanzania's general election tomorrow, a group of African and global leaders has joined forces to demand the release of two prominent opposition figures, Tundu Lissu and John Heche.

The plea comes from the Platform for African Democrats (PAD), a coalition worried about the state of democracy in Tanzania.

Kenyan Senator Edwin Sifuna, who also serves as the Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has put his name on a powerful statement calling for action.

Nimetia sahihi taarifa hii nikiwa baadhi ya wana demokrasia hawa kutoka pembe zote za dunia wanaozidi kushinikiza serikali ya Tanzania kuwaachilia huru viongozi wa @CHADEMA Mheshimiwa @TunduALissu na mwenzake @HecheJohn . Kama nia ilikua nikuwafungia nje ya "uchaguzi" wa kesho,... pic.twitter.com/k9nieBdiTQ

- Edwin Sifuna (@edwinsifuna) October 28, 2025

The document, signed by more than 45 leaders from across the continent and beyond, highlights the arrests of Lissu and Heche as a worrying attack on free speech and fair elections.

Other big names backing the call include former Botswana President Ian Khama, Zimbabwe's ex-Finance Minister Tendai Biti, Nigerian opposition leader Peter Obi, and Venezuelan activist Leopoldo Lopez.

Tundu Lissu, a well-known human rights lawyer and former MP, has been locked up since April 2025.

He faces treason charges, which many believe are politically motivated to silence him ahead of the vote.

John Heche, the deputy chairman of the opposition party CHADEMA, was arrested on 22 October outside a court in Dar es Salaam.

Since then, his whereabouts remain a mystery, raising fears for his safety and wellbeing.

The PAD statement insists that these detentions are a deliberate move to keep opposition voices quiet during the election.

The group is urging Tanzanian authorities to let Lissu and Heche go immediately and without conditions.

They also want the government to ensure the two leaders are treated humanely and given access to their families and lawyers.

With the election just hours away, the PAD fears that the arrests have already stopped the opposition from taking part properly.

The statement also asks regional organisations like the African Union, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC) to step in.