Nine years ago, Hakainde Hichilema, then an opposition leader, was detained on a treason charge. Now his main opponent faces similar accusations. On 29 August 2026, authorities formally charged Brian Mundubile, the opposition candidate who finished second in Zambia’s August 13 presidential election, and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, with treason. In total, eighteen opposition leaders have been charged. The specific facts underlying the case against Mundubile and others have not yet been disclosed.
This charge is not isolated. On August 14, the day after the election, authorities raided an opposition-linked property in Kabulonga, arresting several opposition leaders and fatally shooting Mutotwe Kafwaya, a former cabinet minister. The circumstances of Kafwaya’s death remain unclear. Authorities allege that those targeted had been plotting an insurrection plot and that military-grade weapons had been discovered during the raid. Opposition figures dispute these claims.
