Ex-Zambian minister killed during security raid – Police

Ex- Zambian minister Mutotwe Kafwaya Photo: National Assembly of Zambia

A former Zambian minister was killed during a security raid on a property linked to opposition leader Brian Mundubile, police have confirmed.

Mutotwe Kafwaya was fatally wounded during what authorities described as an exchange of fire between law enforcement officers and unknown individuals in Lusaka on Friday, a day after Zambia’s presidential election.

According to the BBC on Thursday, police said the raid was carried out by a joint security task force and resulted in the arrest of 11 people. Authorities accused Mundubile’s political alliance of involvement in insurgency and militia activity and said weapons had been recovered during the operation.

Mundubile, who has since gone into hiding, rejected the allegations as “total fabrications”. He also said he had not been informed of Kafwaya’s whereabouts after the former minister was shot during the raid.

In a statement confirming Kafwaya’s death, police said security forces encountered “gunfire and resistance from unknown individuals, resulting in [them] returning fire”.

“In the process one unidentified male person was fatally wounded, and the firearm was recovered,” police said, adding that Kafwaya was later identified by members of his family.

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The 49-year-old first became a lawmaker in 2016 and later served as Minister of Works and Supply before becoming Minister of Transport and Communications under former President Edgar Lungu.

He remained an opposition member of parliament after Lungu lost the 2021 election to President Hakainde Hichilema.

Hichilema was declared the winner of the 13 August presidential election with about 60% of the vote, while Mundubile received about 38%. Mundubile has said he plans to challenge the result in court, alleging irregularities in the electoral process.

The election was followed by heightened political tensions, including the arrest of opposition figures during the security raid. The United Nations human rights chief has expressed concern about the arrests and called on Zambian authorities to uphold the due-process rights of detainees.

The European Union election observation mission also raised concerns about the vote-counting process, citing delays, weak verification procedures and a heavy military presence at some tallying centres.

The circumstances surrounding Kafwaya’s death are likely to face further scrutiny as calls grow for greater transparency over the security operation and the treatment of opposition figures following the election.