[REVISION HISTORY]

Zambia presidential election and post-election unrest

Updated 7 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-31 18:15 UTC → 2026-09-02 21:53 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the August 13 presidential election, in which incumbent Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner with approximately 60 percent of the vote, political instability has intensified. Brian Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, have surrendered to police and are in custody facing allegations of treason. Mundubile had spent two weeks in hiding, reportedly seeking refuge at a United Nations building, after a police raid on his residence. During that raid, former cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was fatally shot. Authorities stated that military-grade equipment, including AK-47 assault rifles, were discovered at the property and alleged that the opposition was involved in insurgency or militia activities—claims Mundubile has dismissed as fabricated. New developments indicate that Mundubile and 17 others, including ~~Zulu and~~ Zulu, former bishop Trevor Mwamba, businessman Valden Findlay, and Patrick Mwansa, have been formally charged with treason. Authorities allege that the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) was planning an armed insurgency. While the government maintains these actions are based on intelligence regarding militia activity, Amnesty International has characterized the arrests as arbitrary. The legal situation is further complicated by the abrupt closure of Zambia's judiciary on the Monday deadline for filing election objections, which authorities cited as a security necessity. While the Constitutional Court reported no formal petitions against the election results, Chief Justice Mumba Malila noted receiving an irregular petition via personal email. ~~President Hichilema is scheduled~~ Amidst the tension, lawyer Milner Katolo has called upon the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to ~~be sworn in for~~ intervene and facilitate a ~~second term on September 1.~~ settlement to help heal the nation.

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