On 17 August, a joint task force of police and security officers conducted a raid at a house linked to opposition leader Brian Mundubile in Lusaka. During the operation a former minister, Mutotwe Kafwaya—49, was fatally wounded in an exchange of gunfire, police said.
The authorities arrested eleven people and accused Mundubile’s party, the National Revolutionary Party for Unity (NRPUP), of “militia activity” and of storing “high‑grade” weapons. Mundubile, who has since gone into hiding, dismissed the claims as "fabrications".
The raid came the day after President Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner of a second five‑year term, polling 60% of the vote. Mundubile, trailing at 38%, plans to challenge the outcome in court, alleging tampering in the vote‑counting process.
In the weeks around the election, regional and international observers noted a largely peaceful day but raised concerns over restrictions on the opposition, late electoral reforms, and media freedom. The EU mission warned that a heavy military presence and pauses in reporting could have skewed the contest.
The Human Rights Commission in Zambia has called for accountability regarding the whereabouts of detained individuals, urging that those over their legal detention period be taken to court or released and that alleged unlawful detentions be investigated independently.
