Zambian Opposition Leader Mundubile Charged with Treason

Zambian opposition leader Mundubile was arrested on Thursday following a deadly raid by authorities that prompted him to go into hiding. He had contested the results of the recent presidential election, where incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema was re-elected.

The authorities accused Mundubile’s party, the NRPUP, of planning an armed insurgency, which the party denied. On Saturday night, Mundubile's lawyer, Milner Katolo, announced that Mundubile had been charged with treason, alongside his running mate, Makebi Zulu.

The election, held on August 13, saw Hichilema secure a second term. The day after the election, security forces raided a property linked to Mundubile in Lusaka, resulting in the death of a former cabinet minister and the arrest of several politicians.

Following the raid, Mundubile and Zulu took refuge at a United Nations building, where they were later detained after the president pressured the UN to hand them over. The opposition was unable to challenge the election results legally due to the courts being sealed off on the final day for filing cases.