Zambia opposition leader questioned over ‘treason’ amid election fallout

What the report says

Zambia’s main opposition figure, Brian Mundubile, is being questioned by police over an alleged treason case after the country’s disputed presidential election, according to Al Jazeera. Police said Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, were in custody and had been interviewed with their lawyers present. State media reported that Mundubile turned himself in in Lusaka on August 27 after spending two weeks at a human rights organisation’s facility following a police raid on his home after the August 13 vote.

Al Jazeera reported that authorities have not publicly detailed the evidence behind the investigation, but police said they had recorded “warn and caution” statements, a step that can come before formal charges. The report also noted that treason carries severe penalties in Zambia. The situation escalated after an earlier police operation in which former cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was shot and killed, and 11 people were arrested at Mundubile’s residence. Police alleged the group was involved in insurrection or militia activity, which Mundubile has denied.

The questioning comes as President Hakainde Hichilema prepares to begin a second term after winning 60 percent of the vote, while Mundubile received about 38 percent, according to the article. Opposition leaders say they disputed the result and intended to challenge it in court. However, Zambia’s judiciary was closed on the final day for filing election petitions, and the Constitutional Court later said it had received no formal challenge. Rights groups and legal observers criticized the court closure, warning it could undermine due process and democratic trust.