Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu recently made a bold statement rejecting calls for forgiveness before justice is served for citizens who disappeared before and after the 2020 general election. Addressing the government, he said:
“Mama sitaki msamaha wako. Nataka kwanza wale wote waliopotea baada na kabla ya uchaguzi mkuu 2020 wapatikane.”
Lissu emphasizes that reconciliation without accountability is meaningless. Families of the missing continue to suffer, and ignoring their plight undermines trust in political institutions and the rule of law.
He argues that true national healing requires transparent investigations, holding perpetrators accountable, and providing answers to victims’ families. Only then can forgiveness and unity be meaningful.
Lissu’s stance is both political and moral: it underscores that democracy and reconciliation must be grounded in justice, not silence or selective memory.
