Zambian Opposition Leader Brian Mundubile Charged with Treason Amid Post-Election Crisis

Zambian opposition figure Brian Mundubile has been formally charged with treason, according to his legal representative, as political tensions continue to escalate across the country.

Mundubile was taken into custody on Thursday, following a deadly security operation that had forced the opposition politician to flee and go into hiding.

He had previously contested the outcome of Zambia’s recent presidential election, in which incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema won a second term in office.

Authorities subsequently alleged that Mundubile’s NRPUP party was planning an armed insurgency, a claim the party has firmly rejected.

On Saturday evening, Mundubile’s attorney, Milner Katolo, confirmed that his client had been charged with treason. Katolo told the Zambian Eye that the opposition leader is prepared to defend himself against the charge in court.

The lawyer added that 17 additional individuals, including Mundubile’s running mate Makebi Zulu, have also been charged with treason.

According to official results, Mundubile received 38 percent of the vote in the August 13 election, while Hichilema secured 60 percent.

The day following the election, security forces conducted a raid on a property in the capital, Lusaka, connected to Mundubile. The operation resulted in the death of a former cabinet minister and the arrest of several other politicians.

The government reported that weapons were seized during the raid.

In the aftermath of the operation, Mundubile and Zulu sought refuge at a United Nations facility in Lusaka. The two were eventually detained after the president applied pressure on the UN to release them into state custody.

The opposition was unable to pursue a legal challenge to the election results, as authorities sealed off the courts on Monday, the final day available for filing a case.

Hichilema is scheduled to be inaugurated for his second term on September 1.

While regional and international observers generally characterized election day as peaceful, Zambia’s Human Rights Commission has demanded accountability regarding individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown following arrests and security operations conducted around the elections.

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