A former Zambian government minister, Mutotwe Kafwaya, was shot dead during a security operation at a residence associated with opposition politician Brian Mundubile, authorities have confirmed.
Police said the 49-year-old former minister was among people caught up in a confrontation with security personnel in Lusaka on Friday, shortly after the country held its presidential election.
According to the police, a joint security team came under fire while carrying out the operation and responded.
One unidentified man was reportedly struck and killed, while a firearm was recovered from the scene.
Kafwaya was later identified by relatives.
Eleven individuals were taken into custody during the operation.
Authorities have accused Mundubile’s political organisation, the NRPUP, of links to armed rebellion and militia activities, as well as possessing sophisticated weapons.
Mundubile has dismissed the claims, describing them as completely false.
He has also gone into hiding following the raid.
The opposition figure said earlier this week that he had been unable to establish Kafwaya’s condition or location after the shooting. He also maintained that the security operation occurred at his residence.
Kafwaya entered parliament in 2016 and later joined the government of former President Edgar Lungu.
He became Minister of Works in 2018 before being transferred to the Transport portfolio a year later. He remained in opposition after Lungu was defeated by President Hakainde Hichilema in the 2021 election.
Hichilema has officially been declared the winner of the latest presidential contest, securing about 60 percent of the ballots.
Mundubile finished with approximately 38 percent and has indicated that he will seek legal redress, alleging irregularities in the counting process.
While observers generally regarded voting day as calm, concerns have emerged over the conduct of the electoral process.
The European Union’s monitoring team cited limitations placed on opposition activities, restrictions affecting media access and shortcomings in electoral reforms before the vote.
The EU observers also reported serious problems during the tabulation of results. Counting was interrupted for several hours following claims of attacks on electoral personnel and the removal of ballot boxes.
When the exercise resumed, observers said procedures became increasingly problematic, with some centres failing to immediately document announced figures on official tally forms.
They also identified shortcomings in matching electronic records with physical documents.
The mission further reported frequent interruptions as local election officials waited for guidance from the central electoral authority.
It said the presence of large numbers of soldiers created an intimidating atmosphere and that some counting locations had reportedly come under attack.
The observers have therefore urged authorities to provide the public with the highest possible level of openness concerning the final results, particularly because individual polling-station figures were not released separately.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Human Rights Commission has demanded explanations concerning individuals whose locations remain unclear following arrests and security activities linked to the election.
The commission has called on authorities to either bring detainees before a court within the required period or set them free.
It has also urged impartial investigations into claims involving unlawful arrests and possible enforced disappearances.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong