Zambia opposition leader questioned over treason after disputed election

Zambia's main opposition leader, Brian Mundubile, has been questioned by police over alleged treason after the country's disputed presidential election. His running mate, Makebi Zulu, is also in police custody, according to the Zambia Police Service. The case comes as President Hakainde Hichilema prepares to begin a second term after winning the vote.

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Police said the two men were interviewed by officers alongside their lawyers and that "warn and caution" statements were recorded, a step that can come before formal charges. Authorities did not immediately give further details about the allegations behind the treason investigation. State media reported that Mundubile surrendered to police in Lusaka on 27 August after spending two weeks at an international human rights organisation, where he had sought safety following a police raid on his home the day after the election.

The developments follow a wider crackdown linked to the disputed 13 August vote. Police said 11 people were arrested at Mundubile's home during the earlier operation, and former cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was shot and killed during that crackdown. Police accused the group of involvement in alleged insurrection or militia activity, an allegation Mundubile has denied.

Treason is a serious offence in Zambia and carries severe penalties upon conviction. The case has added to tensions around an election that opposition leaders have rejected. Hichilema won 60% of the vote, while Mundubile received about 38%, according to the reported results.

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Mundubile had said he would challenge the outcome in court, but Zambia's judiciary was closed on Monday, the final day for filing an objection, citing security reasons. Under the constitution, an election petition must be filed within seven days of the winner being declared, and a challenge would automatically pause the presidential swearing-in. The closure of the courts before that deadline has raised questions about the opposition's ability to pursue a legal challenge.

The Constitutional Court said on Tuesday that it had not received any petition contesting the result, clearing the way for Hichilema's inauguration. That sequence has made the legal and political stakes of the treason inquiry more significant, because it is unfolding alongside the formal end of the election dispute process. What remains unclear is the exact basis of the treason allegation and whether police will file charges.

It is also not clear whether Mundubile and Zulu will remain in custody or be released after questioning. The next key development is likely to be any formal statement from police or the courts, as well as Hichilema's swearing-in for a second term.

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