Tonse Alliance seeks AU intervention over Zambia post-election crisis

He said the Government denied for five days that any operation had occurred before the Central Joint Operations Committee confirmed the operation and killing on 19 August.

Mwamba noted that the Law Association of Zambia and the Human Rights Commission had called for an independent investigation.

“On 17 August, our presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Hon. Brian Mundubile and Hon. Makebi Zulu, took refuge at the premises of a United Nations agency in Lusaka, fearing for their lives,” he wrote.

Mwamba said the United Nations has formally notified the Government of their presence, while police have issued a call-out for both men on allegations of treason and insurrection and warned that anyone harbouring them could be treated as an accessory.

He stressed the legal implications, noting “Under Article 101 of the Constitution of Zambia, a petition challenging the declaration must be filed in the Constitutional Court within seven days, that is, by 25 August 2026, two days from the date of this letter.”

The Alliance said it was not asking the AU to declare them winner, but was requesting urgent action before the deadline expired.

Mwamba wrote “We ask you, with respect and urgency, to act on what is admitted, before the window closes,” listing requests that include, guarantees for the safety of the candidates, and respect for the inviolability of UN premises.

The letter further calls for the immediate release of detained counsel, an end to obstruction of petition preparation, an independent investigation into Kafwaya’s killing, and for normalisation of the declared outcome to be withheld until final observer reports are issued and any petition is adjudicated.

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