Brian Mundubile, leader of the opposition NRPUP party in Zambia, has been formally charged with treason, according to an announcement by his attorney Milner Katolo on Saturday night. The charges come following Mundubile’s arrest on Thursday, which occurred after security forces conducted a deadly raid on a property in the capital linked to the opposition politician.
Mundubile had publicly disputed the results of the country’s recent presidential election held on 13 August, in which incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema secured 60% of the vote compared to Mundubile’s 38%. In response to the disputed results, authorities accused Mundubile’s party of planning an armed insurgency, allegations the party denied. Beyond the treason charge against Mundubile, his running mate Makebi Zulu and 16 other individuals have also been charged with the same offense.
The escalation of political tensions intensified when security forces raided a property in Lusaka the day after the election, resulting in the death of a former cabinet minister and the arrest of several other politicians. Following this raid, Mundubile and Zulu sought refuge at a United Nations building in the city. However, they were subsequently detained after the president applied pressure on the UN to release them to authorities.
Opposition attempts to challenge the election outcome through legal channels were effectively blocked when courts were sealed off on Monday, the final day allowable for filing such cases. International and regional observers characterized election day itself as largely peaceful. However, Zambia’s Human Rights Commission has called for accountability regarding individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown following arrests and security operations connected to the election period. Hichilema is scheduled to be sworn in for his second term on 1 September.
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