Zambia’s main opposition leader Brian Mundubile, runner-up in this month’s disputed presidential election, is being questioned by police over alleged treason. Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu are in police custody after being questioned in connection with the offence, the Zambia Police Service said on Thursday, August 27.
Zambian state media said Mundubile surrendered to police in Lusaka on August 27. He had spent two weeks at an international human rights organisation, seeking safety after a police raid at his home the day after the August 13 elections. Police did not provide further details of the allegations. They said “warn and caution” statements had been recorded, a step typically preceding formal charges. Treason carries severe penalties upon conviction in Zambia.
The developments follow an escalation two weeks ago, during which former cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was shot and killed in a police crackdown. Eleven people were arrested at Mundubile’s home. Police said the group were involved in alleged insurrection or militia activity, an accusation Mundubile has denied.
President Hakainde Hichilema won 60 percent of the vote and is due to be sworn in for a second term on Tuesday. The election results were disputed by opposition leaders. Mundubile, who won about 38 percent, promised to challenge the result in court. But Zambia closed its entire judiciary on Monday, the last day for filing an objection, citing “security reasons.”
Under Article 103 of the Zambian Constitution, an election petition must be filed within seven days of the winner being declared. Filing the challenge automatically pauses the presidential swearing-in under Article 104. Shutting the courts before that deadline physically blocked the opposition from filing. The Constitutional Court said on Tuesday it had not received any petition challenging the outcome, clearing the way for Hichilema to be sworn in. Chief Justice Mumba Malila said he had received a petition from a member of the public on his private email, calling it “highly irregular” but referring it to the Constitutional Court for consideration.
Legal and rights groups have criticised the timing of the court closure. Human Rights Watch called it “a blow to the administration of law, transparency, and due process in Zambia.” Opposition parties and civil society organisations have raised concerns over increasing repression by Hichilema’s government. Rights groups and election observer missions have said the post-election dispute has tarnished Zambia’s democratic reputation.
Reference
Al Jazeera, “Zambia opposition leader questioned over ‘treason’ amid election fallout,” published August 27, 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/27/zambia-opposition-leader-questioned-over-treason-amid-election-fallout