A YouTube video claiming that politician Tundu Lissu has declared himself president of Tanzania after holding talks with the United Nations has a FALSE HEADLINE.
The video has a Swahili headline which translates to, “I am the president, I want this nation, I have held talks with the United Nations, I’m the best”
The video was originally published by KTN News on its YouTube channel on March 18, 2021. In the video, Mr Lissu gives his views on the legacy of the late President John Magufuli.
Lissu commends President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whom he says he has worked with before, and notes that she has a choice to do things differently.
He also says that he will continue fighting for democracy in Tanzania.
“I will continue doing what I have done throughout my adult life, and that is to continue fighting for a better Tanzania, to continue fighting for a more democratic Tanzania, a country that respects human rights, rule of law and justice,” he said.
Lissu also says he will write a public letter to the government with a call to “state their position going forward”, but makes no declarations as claimed in the headline.
The claim was published on March 18, 2021, the same day the death of President Magufuli was announced by then Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was still vice president at the time.
According to the constitution of Tanzania, the United Nations has no jurisdiction over the matter of the election of the president. Article 37 (5) of the constitution says that if a president dies in office, the vice president automatically assumes office and is sworn in to serve as president for the unexpired period of the five year presidential term.
PesaCheck has looked into a claim on a YouTube video that states Tundu Lissu has declared himself president of Tanzania after holding talks with the United Nations, and finds it has a FALSE HEADLINE.
This post is part of an ongoing series of PesaCheck fact-checks examining content marked as potential misinformation on Facebook and other social media platforms.
