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Zambian Opposition Leader Brian Mundubile Charged With Treason

Brian Mundubile and 17 others face treason charges following disputed election results and a deadly raid by security forces.

Updated Aug 30, 2026 · 09:17 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile and 17 others, including his running mate Makebi Zulu, have been charged with treason.
  • The charges follow an August 13 election in which incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema won 60% of the vote while Mundubile took 38%, an outcome disputed by the opposition.
  • Mundubile and Zulu were detained after taking refuge at a UN building in Lusaka following a lethal police raid on an opposition-linked property.
  • Hichilema is scheduled to be sworn in for his second term on September 1 amid security concerns and court access restrictions.

Key facts

  • Defense lawyer Milner Katolo stated that opposition leader Brian Mundubile, running mate Makebi Zulu, and 16 other individuals have been charged with treason.[BBC News]
  • Official results from the August 13 presidential election show incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema received 60% of the vote compared to Mundubile's 38%.[BBC News]
  • Authorities accused Mundubile's party, the NRPUP, of plotting an armed insurgency, a claim the party has denied.[BBC News]
  • A security raid on a Lusaka property linked to Mundubile resulted in the death of a former cabinet minister and multiple arrests.[BBC News]
  • Mundubile and Zulu sought shelter at a United Nations facility in Lusaka before being taken into custody after presidential pressure on the UN to surrender them.[BBC News]
  • The opposition was prevented from filing a formal legal challenge to the election results after authorities blocked access to the courts on the filing deadline.[BBC News]
  • President Hakainde Hichilema is scheduled to be sworn in for a second term on September 1.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Zambia's Human Rights Commission has called for accountability regarding an unspecified number of individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown following election-related arrests and operations.[BBC News]

Sources