Lusaka: Zambian opposition leader and presidential election runner-up Brian Mundubile was in police custody and undergoing questioning, as reported by the state broadcaster ZNBC. This development follows two weeks after a disputed presidential election, which saw the incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema declared the winner.
According to Deutsche Welle, Mundubile had been in hiding following police raids and arrests that occurred the day after the election. He had expressed intentions to challenge the election results in court, amidst accusations from the government of national security offenses and plotting an insurgency. Last week, Zambian police summoned him for questioning.
National broadcaster ZNBC detailed that Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, were handed over to police and are currently undergoing interviews. A police spokesman, Godfrey Chilabi, informed ZNBC that the two opposition leaders were being interviewed in the presence of their lawyers, and a statement would be issued upon conclusion of the interview process.
It was reported that Mundubile and Zulu had been under the protection of the United Nations in Lusaka prior to their surrender to the police. The police also indicated that Mundubile was seeking refuge with an international organization earlier in the week, as authorities sought to investigate potential links between the opposition leaders and activities perceived to threaten national security.
The events unfold after a turbulent election period in Zambia. On August 13, the nation voted in a presidential election, with expectations that incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema would secure a second term. Despite brief declarations of victory by Mundubile on election night, Hichilema urged citizens to await the official results. The electoral commission eventually confirmed Hichilema's victory with approximately 60% of the vote, though Mundubile performed better than anticipated.
Allegations of national security threats surfaced shortly before the election, leading to police operations against Mundubile and his affiliates. The raids resulted in the arrest of 11 individuals and the death of former cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya during a gunfire exchange. Mundubile went into hiding following these events.
Despite these challenges, Mundubile continued to assert claims of election irregularities and rejected the allegations against him as false. On the deadline day for filing a court challenge against the election results, Zambia's judiciary was closed due to "security reasons," a move that faced criticism from legal and rights organizations.
Zambia, often regarded as one of Africa's more stable democracies, has faced scrutiny from the recent election and its aftermath. President Hakainde Hichilema is scheduled to be sworn in for his second term next week.
