Just In: Ex-Minister Shot Dead During Security Raid
- Zambian police confirmed that ex-minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was fatally shot during a raid on a house linked to opposition leader Brian Mundubile
- The raid came a day after presidential elections in which incumbent Hakainde Hichilema was declared winner with 60% of the vote
- EU election observers raised concerns about the results tabulation process, citing weak verification and a heavy military presence at tallying centres
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Zambian authorities have confirmed that former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya, 49, died after being shot during a security operation in Lusaka on Friday, July 18, a day after the country's presidential election.
A police spokesman said Kafwaya was fatally wounded when a joint security task force conducted a raid on a property linked to opposition leader Brian Mundubile.
Source: Facebook
Officers said they encountered armed resistance from unknown individuals at the scene and returned fire.
"In the process one unidentified male person was fatally wounded, and the firearm was recovered," the police said, adding that family members later identified the deceased as Kafwaya.
Eleven people were arrested during the same operation. Authorities accused Mundubile's party, the NRPUP, of insurgency, militia activity, and storing high-grade weapons, BBC reports.
Mundubile, who has gone into hiding since the raid, dismissed the allegations as "total fabrications," and said the property raided was his own house.
Ex-Minister Kafwaya Shot During Zambia Security Raid
Kafwaya first entered parliament in 2016 and went on to serve in the cabinet under former President Edgar Lungu, first as minister for works from 2018 and then in the transport ministry the following year.
He remained in parliament as an opposition lawmaker after Lungu lost to incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema in the 2021 election.
Mundubile said on Tuesday that he had received no information about Kafwaya's whereabouts after learning he had been shot during the raid. Police only confirmed his death on Wednesday, following growing public pressure for answers.
EU Questions Zambia Election Results Tabulation Process
According to official results, Hichilema secured a second five-year term with 60% of the vote. Mundubile finished with 38% and has said he intends to challenge the outcome in court, alleging the vote tallying process was manipulated.
Regional and international observers said election day itself was largely peaceful but raised serious concerns about conditions leading up to the poll, including restrictions on campaigning and limited media access. The EU election observation mission warned that these factors may have created an uneven contest.
In a report released on Wednesday, the EU mission said the results tabulation process "deteriorated significantly" after counting resumed following a six-hour suspension.
The electoral commission had halted the count, citing violence against staff and alleged ballot-box theft.
Observers noted that results were frequently not recorded on tally sheets promptly, verification between digital and paper records was weak, and returning officers repeatedly paused proceedings to await instructions from headquarters. A heavy military presence at some centres was described as intimidating.
Zambia's Human Rights Commission has since called for accountability regarding individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown following arrests tied to the post-election security operations.
It urged that anyone held beyond the legal detention period be either charged in court or released, and that any alleged unlawful detentions or disappearances be independently investigated.
Zambia updates visa-on-arrival list for African travellers
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that travellers planning a trip to Zambia can now check whether they qualify for a visa on arrival after the country's immigration authorities confirmed the latest list of eligible nationalities for 2026.
The updated policy allows citizens of selected countries to obtain a visa upon arrival at any designated port of entry into Zambia instead of securing one before travelling.
Source: Legit.ng
