Zambia Charges Opposition Leader Brian Mundubile With Treason Days Before Rival's Inauguration

Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu were formally charged with treason on Saturday, their lawyer Kambwa Aongola told Reuters. Both men remain in custody at Lusaka Central Police Station.

A separate lawyer for several of the accused, Milner Katolo, told Muvi TV that 18 people total have now been charged with treason in connection with the case, according to Lusaka Times. Among them: Patrick Mwansa, husband of Tasila Lungu, and Valden Findlay. Katolo said his clients each face one count and that police should have secured sufficient evidence before filing charges.

An Election Both Sides Contest

The charges follow Zambia's August 13 presidential election. Official results gave incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema a second term with 2,965,326 votes, roughly 60% of the total, against Mundubile's 1,856,217 votes, about 38%, according to Lusaka Times. Mundubile rejected the outcome and said he would challenge it in court.

Regional and international observers described voting day itself as largely peaceful, according to the BBC. The crisis emerged in the days that followed.

A Deadly Raid, Then a UN Standoff

The day after the vote, August 14, security forces raided a property in Lusaka's Kabulonga area linked to Mundubile. Former cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was killed during the operation, and police arrested a number of other politicians, including former special forces operatives and a retired police officer, according to Lusaka Times. Police said they recovered military-grade weapons and devices at the property.

Authorities accused Mundubile's National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity of planning an armed insurgency. The party has denied it, and Mundubile and Zulu have dismissed the insurgency claim as fabricated, according to France 24.

After the raid, Mundubile and Zulu took refuge inside a United Nations compound in Lusaka, where they stayed for roughly two weeks. Hichilema pressured UN officials to hand the pair over, and they were taken into custody after leaving the compound. Mundubile was arrested Thursday, August 27, according to the BBC.

The Blocked Court Challenge

Zambia's courts were closed by authorities on the Monday that marked the final valid day to file an election challenge, according to both the BBC and Lusaka Times. Mundubile was therefore unable to mount a formal legal contest of the results before that window closed.

Competing Accounts of the Crackdown

Amnesty International raised concerns about the wave of arrests. UPND media director Mark Simuwe rebutted that criticism directly, telling reporters that Zambia's justice system requires investigations to run their course before charges are weighed, and that scrutiny should focus on whether specific charges are trumped-up rather than on the fact that arrests occurred involving allegations of military weapons possession, according to Lusaka Times.

Zambia's Human Rights Commission has separately called for accountability over people whose whereabouts remain unknown following arrests and security operations tied to the election, according to the BBC. Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi told Diamond TV that Lusaka Central Police Station remains open to the public and that detainees have full rights, including access to relatives and legal counsel, pushing back on suggestions the facility had been sealed off.

Rights groups have warned that the recent opposition arrests risk further narrowing political space in Zambia, according to France 24.

What Happens Next

It was not immediately clear when Mundubile and Zulu would appear in court to take plea, according to France 24. Hichilema is due to be sworn in for his second term on Tuesday, September 1. The Law Association of Zambia, led by president Arnold Kaluba, has continued to monitor the case as it moves toward trial, according to Lusaka Times.