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5d ago

Zambian Opposition Leader Charged With Treason as Hichilema Begins Second Term

Rights groups warn the prosecutions risk damaging Zambia’s democratic credibility, threatening investor confidence tied to IMF talks.

Election workers open containers of ballots as counting begins in Lusaka, Zambia, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anita Reed)
An election worker holds a ballot as counting starts in Lusaka, Zambia, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anita Reed)
Zambian army officers walk outside the precinct of the election results center at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Anita Reed)
A member of security stands guard as supporters arrive for the swearing-in ceremony of Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema, who is set to begin a second term, at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia, September 1, 2026. REUTERS/Moses Mwape

Overview

  • Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu have been formally charged with treason and are being held at Lusaka Central Police Station, their lawyer said.
  • The charges follow a post‑vote security raid in which police said they found rifles and other military equipment and in which a former cabinet minister was shot dead and 11 people were arrested.
  • Mundubile and Zulu deny the allegations, calling claims of an armed insurgency fabricated.
  • Hakainde Hichilema was sworn in for a second term, a result that preserves the economic course tied to recent IMF‑backed reforms but raises questions about political freedoms.
  • Rights groups and observers say the arrests, disputed court access for election challenges and reported media bias could erode rule of law and influence upcoming IMF negotiations and investor confidence.