Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile has been formally charged with treason, deepening a political crisis that has followed the country’s disputed presidential election.
Mundubile, who finished second in the 13 August election, was arrested after spending days in hiding. His running mate, Makebi Zulu, has also been charged and detained.
The charges were confirmed by Mundubile’s lawyer, Kambwa Aongola, who said the two remained at Lusaka Central Police Station as of Saturday night.
“Brian Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, were both charged with treason,” Aongola told Reuters
The exact conduct that prosecutors allege amounts to treason has not been made public.
The case comes against the backdrop of a tense election aftermath. President Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner with about 60 per cent of the vote, while Mundubile received about 38 per cent.
Mundubile rejected the result and said he intended to challenge it in court. But Zambia’s courts were closed on 24 August, the final day for filing an election petition. Authorities cited security concerns for the closure.
A raid that changed the political mood
The dispute escalated after security forces raided a property linked to Mundubile in Lusaka on 14 August.
Former Cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was killed during the operation, according to reports. Several people were arrested.
The government has accused Mundubile and his allies of involvement in plans that threatened national security. Mundubile has denied allegations that his political group was preparing an armed uprising.
After the raid, Mundubile and Zulu sought refuge at a United Nations facility in Lusaka before eventually being handed over to Zambian authorities.
The United Nations said the government had given assurances that those detained would receive due process.
Charges widen
The case has since expanded beyond Mundubile and Zulu.
Local reports say 16 other people have also been charged with treason, bringing the reported total to 18. Among those named are businessman Valden Findlay and Patrick Mwansa, the husband of former President Edgar Lungu’s daughter, Tasila Lungu.
Mundubile’s lawyers have questioned the basis for the charges and called for the case to be brought before a court, where prosecutors would have to present their evidence.
The treason allegations are now likely to become a major test of Zambia’s political and legal institutions.
Hichilema is scheduled to be sworn in for a second term on 1 September.
The election was described by regional and international observers as largely peaceful on polling day. But concerns have grown over arrests, the closure of the courts and the treatment of opposition figures in the weeks since the vote.
Mundubile has not been convicted of any offence. The treason allegations remain before the legal process, where the prosecution will be required to establish its case.
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