Mundubile, who finished second to President Hakainde Hichilema with 38 percent of the vote against Hichilema's 60 percent, was arrested on Thursday after spending more than two weeks in hiding. Lawyer Kambwa Aongola confirmed that Mundubile and Zulu remained detained at Lusaka Central Police Station as of Saturday.
From Hiding to Treason Charges
The charges stem from a deadly security raid on August 14, the day after the election, at a property in Lusaka's Kabulonga district linked to Mundubile. During the operation, former transport and communications minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was killed. Police said they recovered firearms and military equipment during the raid, leading authorities to accuse Mundubile's National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity of planning an armed insurgency, an allegation the party has denied.
Following the raid, Mundubile and Zulu sought refuge at a United Nations facility in Lusaka. The pair were later handed over to Zambian police following an agreement between a representative of the UN secretary-general and President Hichilema, under which the government pledged to respect the rule of law and guarantee due process.
Unable to Challenge Election Results
The opposition was unable to mount a legal challenge to the election outcome as authorities sealed off the courts on Monday, the final day for filing an electoral petition. On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court confirmed it had received no formal challenge to the election result.
Mundubile had previously accused authorities of obstructing preparations for an election petition by arresting lawyers and officials involved in compiling the case. He also accused neighbouring Tanzania of interfering in Zambia's election, a claim Tanzania rejected, stating that any Tanzanians present were likely part of the SADC election observation mission invited by Zambia.
Rights Groups Raise Concerns
Treason in Zambia is a non-bailable offence and carries a minimum prison sentence of 15 years. The country abolished the death penalty for civilian crimes in 2022, with existing death sentences commuted to life imprisonment.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called on Zambian authorities to end arbitrary arrests of opposition figures, while Amnesty International described Kafwaya's killing as deeply disturbing. Zambia's Human Rights Commission has also called for accountability over people whose whereabouts remain unknown following arrests and security operations linked to the election.
President Hakainde Hichilema is due to be sworn in for a second term on September 1. The treason case against Mundubile and his co-accused will be heard exclusively by the High Court.
With reporting from Reuters, BBC News, AFP, Anadolu Ajansı, Infobae and Voice of Nigeria.
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