Human Rights Watch released a report calling on Zambian authorities to end what the organization characterized as a severe campaign against political opposition following President Hakainde Hichilema’s electoral victory in August. The rights group documented cases involving arrests, forced disappearances, detentions, physical assaults, and threats targeting opposition members, supporters, legal professionals, journalists, and government critics in the period surrounding and following the general elections.
Hichilema was inaugurated for a second presidential term after the August vote, which critics have alleged involved electoral irregularities. His primary electoral opponent, Brian Mundubile, was detained on treason charges after disputing the election outcome. Police conducted a raid on Mundubile’s residence the day after voting concluded, during which a former government official, Mutotwe Kafwaya, was fatally shot. Human Rights Watch called for an independent investigation into this incident.
Beyond the detention of Mundubile, approximately a dozen additional opposition figures who questioned the election results have been taken into custody. The organization noted that authorities shut down the country’s courts two weeks following the election, with police citing this as an “intelligence-led and preventive measure” without providing additional explanation. Human Rights Watch stated this court closure has prevented opposition parties from pursuing legal remedies challenging the election through the judicial system.
The rights group’s deputy Africa director urged immediate cessation of the post-election enforcement actions, restoration of legal representation access for detainees, provision of medical treatment for those in custody, and release of individuals held without legal justification. The statement emphasized the need for accountability mechanisms addressing alleged abuses by security personnel, describing the current environment as characterized by intimidation, harassment, and broader political repression affecting civic participation and expression of dissenting viewpoints.
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