Lusaka-Thursday, August 20, 2026

Zambian authorities have framed insurrection and treason charges against Opposition presidential candidate, Brian Mundubile who is widely believed to have won the 2026 Presidential Elections.

President Hakainde Hichilema has publicly alleged that Mundubile and his Running Mate, Makebi Zulu, were plotting an insurrection, and unconstitutional take-over of government.

On Friday 14th August, 2026, the military conducted an invasion at Mundubile’s home which saw soldiers kill his right hand man and former Minister of Transport & Communications, Mutotwe Kafwaya.

Zambia’s Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, stated that a security raid on an election-night property in Lusaka targeted a suspected militia involved in an armed insurrection plot. He defended the operation as a necessary step to curb threats to state security.

But Mundubile has defended himself that he had no business or intention to form any militia and demonstrated that the electoral results showed the Opposition he was leading had received nationwide support from the people.

“Our only crime is that election results showed that we won this election. It is for this reason that they have manufactured phantom militias to justify a brutal crackdown against us and our leaders in the Opposition”

He condemned the false allegations stating that President Hichilema was pushing a dirty schemes to implicate them because it is now proven that he had stolen an election.

Over 60 leaders, musicians, lawyers, members of his security team have been rounded up and subjected the to prolonged detention.

International observers have condemned the role of the military that invaded polling and Totalling centres and caused the changes to electoral results.

Zambian academic and historian Sishuwa Sishuwa stated that President Hakainde Hichilema and the military have effectively “staged a coup against the people” of Zambia in connection with the 2026 general elections because of this role.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk urged Zambian authorities under President Hakainde Hichilema to halt arbitrary arrests and guarantee due process for opposition figures detained following the tense August 13, 2026 presidential election.