By Brian Matambo | Media Director

NRPUP Presidential Candidate Brian Mundubile has given his most detailed account yet of the armed raid on his Kabulonga residence, saying soldiers forced their way into his home, opened fire inside the house and shot former Transport Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya in his presence.

Speaking during a breakfast show hosted by Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, Mundubile rejected government claims suggesting that armed militia, foreign nationals or sophisticated weapons were found at his residence.

He said the government’s account was an attempt to divert national attention from serious questions surrounding the management of the August 13 elections, particularly the custody and movement of ballots, the involvement of security agencies and alleged discrepancies between polling station results and figures later announced.

Mundubile said that on Friday evening, he and members of his team had returned to his Kabulonga residence after meeting election observer missions at Pamodzi Hotel.

Among those he said were at the residence were Presidential Spokesperson George Chisanga, Mutotwe Kafwaya, Bishop Trevor Mamba, Patrick Mwansa, his bodyguard Richard Banda, members of his family and a small number of other associates.

According to Mundubile, his security detail initially received information that another campaign facility in Zambezi had been raided. Within minutes, he was informed that his Kabulonga residence had also been surrounded.

He said a vehicle subsequently rammed the gate before more than 50 armed personnel, some dressed in military uniform, entered the premises amid gunfire.

Mundubile said he retreated into the master bedroom area with Kafwaya as armed officers entered the house.

“They found us in the walk-in wardrobe and immediately opened fire,” Mundubile said.

He alleged that Kafwaya was shot twice while seated and that the same officer fired two shots in Mundubile’s direction.

“By God’s grace, I don’t know how those bullets missed my head. They hit the wall I was leaning against,” he said.

Mundubile further said his wife narrowly escaped gunfire during the incident and that his children witnessed part of the aftermath, including an injured Kafwaya being dragged from the house while bleeding.

He said the experience had traumatised his family and that arrangements had been made for his children to receive counselling.

The presidential candidate challenged authorities to preserve the residence as a potential crime scene, saying bullet marks, bloodstains and other physical evidence could independently establish what occurred.

“There was no foreign national in that yard. There was no sophisticated weapon in that yard. There was no militia whatsoever,” Mundubile said.

He also disputed suggestions that unidentified people escaped from the property during the operation, saying his team could account for the people who were present.

Mundubile expressed particular concern over the whereabouts and condition of Kafwaya, saying he personally witnessed him being shot and bleeding heavily before pleading with officers to take him to hospital.

“I said, please, this gentleman is Honourable Mutotwe Kafwaya. Take him to the hospital,” he recounted.

Mundubile said he had repeatedly asked the officers involved in the operation to ensure Kafwaya received medical attention, but his family had subsequently struggled to establish his condition and whereabouts.

He criticised what he described as contradictory government accounts of the incident and questioned why authorities waited several days before issuing a detailed statement.

Mundubile said the controversy surrounding the raid should not overshadow what he described as the central national issue: the credibility of the election results and the management of ballots after polling.

He questioned the alleged involvement of intelligence officers and soldiers in transporting or guarding election materials, as well as reported changes to normal procedures surrounding GEN 20 forms and result documentation.

“We want to know in whose custody the ballot boxes were. We want to know who issued instructions for the army to begin moving ballot papers,” he said.

Mundubile said his campaign was examining original polling station documents against results subsequently announced and claimed discrepancies were emerging.

He said the party would present evidence wherever figures did not correspond with polling station records.

“We doubt the credibility of some of these results that are being announced,” he said, adding that discrepancies should be resolved before the electoral process is concluded.

Despite his complaints, Mundubile appealed to his supporters not to resort to violence.

During the programme, Mundubile read a statement calling for peace, constitutionalism and restraint as political tensions continue following the elections.

“I stand for peace. I stand for Zambia. And I will never support violence, intimidation, destruction of property or persecution of any Zambian on account of how they voted,” he said.

He warned, however, that peace should not be interpreted to mean silence in the face of alleged electoral violations.

“There can be no genuine national unity if citizens are expected to remain silent when they believe that their constitutional and electoral rights have been violated,” Mundubile said.

He urged supporters not to retaliate against political opponents, attack property or target people who voted differently.

“Our political opponents are not our enemies. They are fellow citizens with whom we will continue to share this country long after this election is over,” he said.

Mundubile said his team would pursue every legitimate and constitutional avenue available to address electoral grievances.

“Our demand is simple. The will of the Zambian people must be respected,” he said.

He also called upon state institutions, including the Electoral Commission of Zambia, police and public service, to act impartially and allow complaints to be investigated.

Mundubile appealed to the Church, the Law Association of Zambia and the international community to take greater interest in both the election management process and the circumstances surrounding the raid on his residence.

He said the two issues should not be treated separately because, in his view, the raid occurred against the background of an election whose result-management process his campaign was already questioning.

Mundubile maintained that NRPUP is a non-violent political organisation and rejected allegations that his campaign had established or trained a militia.

He confirmed that four people associated with his team had previously undertaken what he described as VIP protection training, but said this did not constitute military or militia training.

He also sought to reassure investors, particularly mining companies, that an NRPUP government would protect legitimate investments while pursuing what he described as a fairer sharing of value between investors and Zambians.

Mundubile ended his intervention with an appeal for national calm while insisting that his campaign would not abandon its demand for answers over both the election and the raid.

“My message is therefore not one of revenge. It is one of reconciliation. Not confrontation, but constitutionalism. Not surrender, but lawful determination,” he said.