Zambia Will Never Be The Same, Warns Muhabi Lungu

What is happening in Zambia right now is one of the greatest tragedies since the country returned to multi-party democracy in 1991, politician Muhabi Lungu has said, calling on non-governmental organisations, civil society groups and the Church to speak out against what he described as politicians trying to kill the country’s democracy.

In an interview, Lungu said the arrest of main opposition challenger Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu on treason-related allegations following the disputed August 13 general election represented an unprecedented moment in Zambia’s political history.

“And it is assumed and expected that all of us should now accept it. I think this is one of the greatest tragedies in Zambian history since we adopted the multi-party system in 1991. And there is no other way to look at it. The country will never be the same,” Lungu said.

He referenced the death of one of Mundubile’s close allies and former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya, who was shot dead on August 14 when members of the Zambia Army Special Forces stormed Mundubile’s house in Lusaka, claiming he was harbouring members of a militia planning to overthrow President-elect Hakainde Hichilema. Kafwaya has not yet been buried.

Lungu said what was happening in the country should come to an end, and urged civic institutions to speak out as they had done under previous administrations.

“This thing that has happened is unacceptable. And one would pray and hope that all of those organisations and people who in the past have screamed as loudly as they could when other presidents were doing things that are far less than this, the NGOs, the civil society, the churches, should do the same,” Lungu said.

He said he was troubled that professional bodies, once vigilant about the country’s governance, appeared to be silent on matters of national unity, and urged them to raise their voices to help restore democratic norms he believes are being eroded by the current government.

“Professional associations, all of them must rise and put a stop to it and ensure that we correct what has been broken. Rise and put us politicians who want to destroy democracy in this manner in our place,” Lungu said.

He also directed criticism at the Judiciary, describing it as hypocritical for judicial officers to suggest that no election petition had been submitted within the statutory seven-day window when courts had in fact been closed for three of those days.

“The registry should open for seven days, including weekends. That has not happened, and nobody can dispute that. The Judiciary is taking all Zambians as dull and unintelligent,” he said.

Lungu said the closure had directly compromised the constitutional guarantee that courts remain accessible for seven days following the declaration of results, and questioned how judicial officers could claim no petition had been received when they were aware the courts had been shut.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia has declared Hichilema the winner of the presidential contest, but Mundubile has dismissed the result, citing widespread interference from defence and security forces, cadre violence and a six-hour suspension of vote counting and announcement of results. International observers have separately raised concerns about discrepancies between results announced at totalling centres and those recorded at polling stations.

Lungu said many Zambians were disappointed by the current political trajectory in a country that has long been regarded as a beacon of democracy in the region, but insisted the fight to restore the country’s democratic character was far from over.

“Many of us who had hoped that the democratic system would become even better have been given a severe blow. But obviously, many of us are not going to give up,” he said