Zambian opposition leader charged with treason

Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile has been charged with treason, his lawyer has remarked against the backdrop of heightened political tensions in the country.

Key points

• While Hichilema secured 60%, official results show, mundubile gained 38% of the vote in the 13 August election.
• The lawyer remarked 17 others, including Mundubile's running mate Makebi Zulu, had additionally been charged with treason.
• After the raid, Mundubile and Zulu took refuge at a United Nations building in the city.
• On Saturday night, Mundubile's lawyer Milner Katolo confirmed that his client had been charged with treason.
• Hichilema is due to be sworn in for a second term on 1 September.

After a deadly raid by the authorities led the opposition politician to go into hiding, mundubile was arrested on Thursday.

He had disputed the results of the country's recent presidential election. It saw incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema securing a second term.

Meanwhile, the authorities then accused Mundubile's NRPUP party of planning an armed insurgency. It it denied.

On Saturday night, Mundubile's lawyer Milner Katolo confirmed that his client had been charged with treason. The opposition leader looks forward to answering the accusation in court, Katolo informed the Zambian Eye, external.

For context, the lawyer remarked 17 others, including Mundubile's running mate Makebi Zulu, had additionally been charged with treason.

In practice, the day after the poll, security forces raided a property in the capital, Lusaka, linked to Mundubile, killing a former cabinet minister and arresting a number of other politicians.

After the raid, Mundubile and Zulu took refuge at a United Nations building in the city. The pair were detained after the president put pressure on the UN to hand them over.

For context, the opposition was unable to mount a legal challenge to the election outcome as the courts were sealed off by the authorities on Monday, the final day that a case could be filed.

Regional and international observers described the election day as largely peaceful, but Zambia's Human Rights Commission has pressed accountability over residents whose whereabouts remain unknown after arrests and security operations around the elections. Ex-Zambian minister killed in security raid on opposition.

In practice, a burial row over Zambia's late president has turned its election into a hot contest. Aspiring female Zambian politicians were asked for sexual favours, official notes. Stone-throwing anger unnerves Zambia's 'fix-it' president.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

Taken together, the developments around zambian opposition leader charged with treason point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.