A former Zambian cabinet minister, Mutotwe Kafwaya, 49, was shot dead during a security operation at the residence of opposition leader Brian Mundubile, police confirmed it , days after President Hakainde Hichilema secured a second term amid opposition claims of electoral irregularities and intimidation.
Police said Kafwaya was killed during a joint security operation at Mundubile’s residence on August 14, a day after the presidential election. Security forces reportedly encountered gunfire and resistance from unidentified individuals during the operation and returned fire, killing one man and recovering a firearm.
Authorities later identified the dead man as Kafwaya, a former cabinet minister and opposition parliamentarian.
READ ALSO; Zambia Detains Opposition Leaders Over Alleged Coup
The operation followed the August 13 presidential election, which the Electoral Commission of Zambia said Hichilema won with about 60 per cent of the vote, while Mundubile finished second with around 38 per cent.
The government said the raid was aimed at dismantling a suspected militia that posed “a serious threat to State security”. Police said 11 people were arrested, including three former commandos with extensive military experience.
Mundubile denied allegations that his political alliance was involved in insurgency or militia activities. He said those arrested included members of his security team and opposition figures.
The opposition leader said Kafwaya was struck by gunfire during the operation and that he was initially unable to establish what had happened to him. He later went into hiding following the raid.
Kafwaya’s death came after his family had repeatedly sought information about his whereabouts and condition.
Mundubile has also said his campaign identified “serious irregularities” during the election and plans to challenge the results in court.
International observers have raised concerns about the conduct of the election, citing allegations of intimidation, arrests, abductions and violence.
Kafwaya served as a minister under the Patriotic Front government from 2016 to 2021 before becoming an opposition lawmaker during Hichilema’s first term.
The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, has called on Zambian authorities to halt arbitrary arrests and ensure that detainees’ due process rights are fully respected.
The incident has heightened tensions following the election, with questions remaining over the circumstances surrounding Kafwaya’s death, the arrests made during the operation and the opposition’s planned legal challenge to the election results.
