Zambia Moves Towards Inauguration as Mundubile’s Petition Loses Allies

🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Zambia Moves Towards Inauguration as Mundubile’s Petition Loses Allies Preparations for President-elect Hakainde Hichilema’s inauguration are taking shape in Lusaka as congratulatory messages continue arriving from abroad, while the opposition coalition which challenged him at the ballot box is showing growing differences over whether to fight the presidential result. Heroes Stadium in […]

🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Zambia Moves Towards Inauguration as Mundubile’s Petition Loses Allies

Preparations for President-elect Hakainde Hichilema’s inauguration are taking shape in Lusaka as congratulatory messages continue arriving from abroad, while the opposition coalition which challenged him at the ballot box is showing growing differences over whether to fight the presidential result.

Heroes Stadium in the capital is being prepared for the inauguration. The diplomatic recognition has also continued, with messages from the United States Embassy in Lusaka, China and Israel, alongside regional congratulations from countries including Tanzania, Kenya and Angola.

The movement towards inauguration follows Hichilema’s re-election after ECZ declared him winner of the August 13 presidential election. He finished with about 2.97 million votes, more than 1.1 million ahead of Brian Mundubile, his principal challenger.

But while the country prepares for another Hichilema administration, Mundubile is pursuing a different course. He has rejected the result and announced plans for a constitutional and legal challenge, citing alleged irregularities in the conduct, counting, transmission and declaration of results.

His proposed petition, however, is increasingly becoming a lonely position within the political coalition which carried his candidature.

Tonse Alliance founder and Secretary General Chris Zumani Zimba has now publicly withdrawn himself from any attempt to challenge the presidential result.

“With such fire, petitioning presidential results will be a big mistake,” Zimba said.

“As for me, Tonse Alliance founder, SG & Chief Advisor, I will not be part of it. Let dialogue, healing, peace and reconciliation reign now to serve many detained & hiding!”

His reference to people detained or in hiding comes as the post-election security investigation surrounding some opposition figures widens. Police have summoned Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu for questioning over alleged links to activities investigators say pose a threat to national security.

Police say the two are currently at premises belonging to an international organisation in Lusaka. Inspector General of Police Graphel Musamba says call-outs have been served through their lawyers and government has assured the organisation hosting them that their rights and due process will be respected. The allegations remain under investigation.

The investigation concerns alleged militia activity and follows the Kabulonga security operation in which former minister and Tonse figure Mutotwe Kafwaya was shot and killed. Mundubile strongly disputes the government’s account of the operation and denies any militia existed.

The security crisis is unfolding alongside an increasingly visible political problem for Mundubile. NRPUP president Ezra Tembo, whose registered party provided the electoral platform for Mundubile’s presidential candidature, has accepted Hichilema’s victory and said the party will not dispute the outcome.

Resolute Party president Martin Phiri, another figure within the broader alliance arrangement, has also conceded and said his party will not petition. He has instead called for support for the elected government while the opposition provides checks and balances.

Zimba had already begun pushing Mundubile towards another route shortly after the election. “This election demands that HH and BM must urgently dialogue because it is so dangerously divisive. The two are not eternal enemies!” he wrote.

This leaves an unusual picture five days after the presidential result. Mundubile wants to challenge the election, but important figures and parties within the political structure which supported his candidature are moving towards acceptance, dialogue and reconciliation. At the same time, he and Makebi face police questioning in a separate national-security investigation.

None of this removes Mundubile’s right to seek legal redress if he believes the election was compromised. But politically, the ground around him is changing quickly.

Heroes Stadium is being prepared for an inauguration. Foreign governments are recognising Hichilema’s victory. Opposition parties are conceding. Senior Tonse figures are stepping away from a petition.

Mundubile, meanwhile, remains determined to challenge the result.

The election battle may be moving to court. His bigger problem now is how much of his own coalition is prepared to follow him there.