Zambian opposition leader charged with treason

Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile has been formally charged with treason, his legal team confirmed on Saturday, deepening political unrest in the country ahead of President Hakainde Hichilema’s second-term inauguration.

Mundubile, a prominent figure in Zambia’s National Restoration Party (NRPUP), was arrested late Thursday after weeks of heightened tensions following the disputed presidential election on August 13. Official results showed Hichilema, leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), winning 60% of the vote compared to Mundubile’s 38%. The opposition leader had rejected the outcome, alleging irregularities and calling for a recount.

Authorities accused the NRPUP of plotting an armed insurgency, a claim the party strongly denied. On Saturday night, Milner Katolo, Mundubile’s lawyer, announced the treason charge through the Zambian Eye, a local news outlet. Katolo stated that Mundubile would contest the charges in court and confirmed that 17 others, including his running mate Makebi Zulu, had also been charged with treason.

Mundubile’s arrest follows a violent security raid in Lusaka, the capital, the day after the election. During the operation, police killed a former cabinet minister and arrested multiple politicians. Fearing further detention, Mundubile and Zulu sought refuge in a United Nations building in Lusaka. However, they were later removed under pressure from the government and taken into custody.

The opposition’s ability to challenge the election results was severely restricted when courts were sealed off on August 15, the final day to file legal petitions. Hichilema is scheduled to be sworn in for a second term on September 1.

International observers, including regional blocs, largely described election day as peaceful. However, Zambia’s Human Rights Commission has raised concerns about enforced disappearances and called for accountability regarding detainees whose whereabouts remain unknown.

The treason charges against Mundubile mark a critical escalation in Zambia’s post-election crisis and signal intensifying political divisions within the country.

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