Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile was taken into police custody for questioning over an alleged treason offence, two weeks after he went into hiding following the country’s disputed presidential election. His running mate, Makebi Zulu, was also interviewed and detained, police said in a statement. Neither man was reported convicted or formally found responsible for the allegations.
Mundubile surrendered on Thursday after authorities had summoned him in connection with what state media described as a threat to national security. He had sought refuge with an international human rights organization on the day after the August 13 vote, when police raided his home. Eleven people were arrested during that operation, and Mutotwe Kafwaya, who had previously served in the cabinet, died after being shot. Police alleged insurgent or militia activity; Mundubile called the claims fabricated.
President Hakainde Hichilema secured 60% of the vote and was expected to begin a second term the following week. Mundubile, who received about 38%, had promised to contest the outcome. International monitors described voting as largely peaceful but recorded opposition allegations involving intimidation, arrests, abductions and violence.
The expected legal challenge became entangled in a controversy over access to the courts. Zambia shut its entire judiciary on Monday, citing security concerns, even though that day was the deadline for an election petition. The Constitutional Court announced on Tuesday that it had received no challenge, which appeared to clear the route to Hichilema’s inauguration. Chief Justice Mumba Malila later said a member of the public had sent a petition to his private email. He called that method highly irregular but referred the submission to the Constitutional Court.
Legal and human rights organizations criticized the timing of the closure. Human Rights Watch said no credible explanation had been offered and warned that preventing timely court access would damage due process, transparency and the administration of law. The episode added to wider concerns about political space during Hichilema’s first term, despite an economic recovery and debt restructuring under his government.
Mundubile, 55, is a lawyer and former minister who was closely allied with the late former president Edgar Lungu. He emerged as the main challenger after opposition groups coalesced around him through the Tonse Alliance. Zambia had previously achieved every presidential change since the restoration of multiparty politics in 1991 through elections.
The treason inquiry now runs alongside uncertainty over whether any challenge to the August result can proceed. Police custody permits questioning but does not establish guilt. The handling of Mundubile, Zulu and the disputed petition will therefore remain central to assessments of Zambia’s post-election rule of law.
