Mundubile, Makebi at Solwezi Police after being moved from Mukobeko

LUSAKA – Opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu have been taken to Solwezi Central Police Station after being moved from Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility in Kabwe, in a development that has raised questions over possible new charges against the two. Pictures circulating on social media show Mundubile and Zulu getting off a bus and […]

LUSAKA – Opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu have been taken to Solwezi Central Police Station after being moved from Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility in Kabwe, in a development that has raised questions over possible new charges against the two.

Pictures circulating on social media show Mundubile and Zulu getting off a bus and entering the Solwezi Central Police Station.

Information reaching Zambian Eye is that Mundubile was airlifted from Mukobeko to Solwezi on Friday morning before the two were taken to the police station.

Police had not issued a statement on the development by press time.

Zambian Eye understands that the two could face a further charge of seditious practices if a complaint is formally lodged against them by a UPND supporter.

The information has not been independently confirmed by police, and it remains unclear what specific conduct is being investigated in Solwezi or whether any new charge has actually been preferred.

Why are Mundubile and Makebi in Solwezi?

The movement of the two opposition figures from Mukobeko to Solwezi has immediately raised questions because their existing criminal matters have so far been handled in Kabwe and Lusaka.

Mundubile and Zulu are among 18 people facing treason charges arising from events surrounding the August election.

They were formally charged with treason on August 29 and subsequently taken to Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility in Kabwe.

As of September 23, they had spent 27 days in detention and 25 days since the formal treason charge without appearing before a court on the treason allegations. Zambian Eye previously reported that the prolonged detention had become the subject of a constitutional and legal challenge, with the Law Association of Zambia raising concerns over detainees remaining in custody without being brought before court.

They have already faced a sedition charge

The Solwezi development also comes less than two weeks after Mundubile and Zulu were taken from Mukobeko to Kabwe Central Police Station and charged with seditious practices.

Police confirmed on September 11 that the two had been formally arrested and jointly charged under Section 57 of the Penal Code, Chapter 87. They were then returned to Mukobeko pending further police procedures and their appearance before court.

According to their lawyers, the earlier sedition allegations concerned statements made around the election results.

Mundubile was reportedly charged over a social media video in which he said his party’s parallel voter tabulation showed it had won the presidential and parliamentary elections and called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia to resume announcing the results.

Zulu’s charge related to a separate communication in which he referred to Mundubile as president and said Mundubile would address the nation.

Those details were provided by the defence; police confirmed the sedition charge but did not publicly set out the specific factual allegations in the charge at the time.

The Solwezi question

The latest movement is different because it has taken the two men considerably away from the centre of the original proceedings in Lusaka and Kabwe.

The opposition has questioned the decision to move Mundubile and Zulu to Solwezi, arguing that keeping the two in detention far from Lusaka makes access by their families, lawyers and political supporters more difficult.

Supporters of the two also argue that the movement could have a wider political effect by separating the NRPUP presidential candidate and his running mate from the party’s political base and support network.

Those are political claims and have not been independently established by Zambian Eye.

What is currently clear is that the two have been moved from Mukobeko and are now at Solwezi Central Police Station.

Lawyers reportedly caught off guard

The movement has also raised questions about whether the defence team was informed in advance.

Information reaching Zambian Eye is that the lawyers representing Mundubile and Zulu were not aware of the summons to Solwezi before the movement took place.

If confirmed, that would add another question to the developing situation: what prompted police to move the two from a maximum-security facility in Kabwe to Solwezi, and what process is now being followed?

Police have yet to publicly explain the purpose of the transfer.

The wider detention dispute

The latest development comes as the continued detention of Mundubile, Zulu and the other treason suspects remains under increasing scrutiny.

The 18 detainees have challenged their continued detention in the High Court, while the Law Association of Zambia has called on authorities to ensure that people who remain in custody are either brought before a competent court without undue delay or lawfully released.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Gilbert Phiri, previously said investigations into the treason allegations were still ongoing and that the suspects would be taken to court once investigations were concluded.

The addition of the earlier sedition charge has therefore created a second criminal process involving Mundubile and Zulu.

Now, their movement to Solwezi has raised the possibility of yet another police action.

What remains unanswered?

For now, several questions remain open.

Why were Mundubile and Zulu moved from Mukobeko to Solwezi?

Who requested or initiated the Solwezi action?

What specific allegation is being investigated?

Has a formal complaint actually been lodged against either of them?

Will they be charged with another offence?

And, if they are charged, when will they be brought before a court?

The Zambia Police Service had not publicly addressed the Solwezi development by the time of publication.

Zambian Eye will update this story when police provide an official explanation or when further information emerges.

LUSAKA – Opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu have been taken to Solwezi Central Police Station after being moved from Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility in Kabwe, in a development that has raised questions over possible new charges against the two.

Pictures circulating on social media show Mundubile and Zulu getting off a bus and entering the Solwezi Central Police Station.

Information reaching Zambian Eye is that Mundubile was airlifted from Mukobeko to Solwezi on Friday morning before the two were taken to the police station.

Police had not issued a statement on the development by press time.

Zambian Eye understands that the two could face a further charge of seditious practices if a complaint is formally lodged against them by a UPND supporter.

The information has not been independently confirmed by police, and it remains unclear what specific conduct is being investigated in Solwezi or whether any new charge has actually been preferred.

Why are Mundubile and Makebi in Solwezi?

The movement of the two opposition figures from Mukobeko to Solwezi has immediately raised questions because their existing criminal matters have so far been handled in Kabwe and Lusaka.

Mundubile and Zulu are among 18 people facing treason charges arising from events surrounding the August election.

They were formally charged with treason on August 29 and subsequently taken to Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility in Kabwe.

As of September 23, they had spent 27 days in detention and 25 days since the formal treason charge without appearing before a court on the treason allegations. Zambian Eye previously reported that the prolonged detention had become the subject of a constitutional and legal challenge, with the Law Association of Zambia raising concerns over detainees remaining in custody without being brought before court.

They have already faced a sedition charge

The Solwezi development also comes less than two weeks after Mundubile and Zulu were taken from Mukobeko to Kabwe Central Police Station and charged with seditious practices.

Police confirmed on September 11 that the two had been formally arrested and jointly charged under Section 57 of the Penal Code, Chapter 87. They were then returned to Mukobeko pending further police procedures and their appearance before court.

According to their lawyers, the earlier sedition allegations concerned statements made around the election results.

Mundubile was reportedly charged over a social media video in which he said his party’s parallel voter tabulation showed it had won the presidential and parliamentary elections and called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia to resume announcing the results.

Zulu’s charge related to a separate communication in which he referred to Mundubile as president and said Mundubile would address the nation.

Those details were provided by the defence; police confirmed the sedition charge but did not publicly set out the specific factual allegations in the charge at the time.

The Solwezi question

The latest movement is different because it has taken the two men considerably away from the centre of the original proceedings in Lusaka and Kabwe.

The opposition has questioned the decision to move Mundubile and Zulu to Solwezi, arguing that keeping the two in detention far from Lusaka makes access by their families, lawyers and political supporters more difficult.

Supporters of the two also argue that the movement could have a wider political effect by separating the NRPUP presidential candidate and his running mate from the party’s political base and support network.

Those are political claims and have not been independently established by Zambian Eye.

What is currently clear is that the two have been moved from Mukobeko and are now at Solwezi Central Police Station.

Lawyers reportedly caught off guard

The movement has also raised questions about whether the defence team was informed in advance.

Information reaching Zambian Eye is that the lawyers representing Mundubile and Zulu were not aware of the summons to Solwezi before the movement took place.

If confirmed, that would add another question to the developing situation: what prompted police to move the two from a maximum-security facility in Kabwe to Solwezi, and what process is now being followed?

Police have yet to publicly explain the purpose of the transfer.

The wider detention dispute

The latest development comes as the continued detention of Mundubile, Zulu and the other treason suspects remains under increasing scrutiny.

The 18 detainees have challenged their continued detention in the High Court, while the Law Association of Zambia has called on authorities to ensure that people who remain in custody are either brought before a competent court without undue delay or lawfully released.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Gilbert Phiri, previously said investigations into the treason allegations were still ongoing and that the suspects would be taken to court once investigations were concluded.

The addition of the earlier sedition charge has therefore created a second criminal process involving Mundubile and Zulu.

Now, their movement to Solwezi has raised the possibility of yet another police action.

What remains unanswered?

For now, several questions remain open.

Why were Mundubile and Zulu moved from Mukobeko to Solwezi?

Who requested or initiated the Solwezi action?

What specific allegation is being investigated?

Has a formal complaint actually been lodged against either of them?

Will they be charged with another offence?

And, if they are charged, when will they be brought before a court?

The Zambia Police Service had not publicly addressed the Solwezi development by the time of publication.

Zambian Eye will update this story when police provide an official explanation or when further information emerges.