Mufumbwe Killings Spark Outrage: Opposition Demands Justice as Over 15 Civilians Allegedly Shot Dead by Police

Mufumbwe Killings Spark Outrage: Opposition Demands Justice as Over 15 Civilians Allegedly Shot Dead by Police.

Outrage has erupted across Zambia following the reported killing of over 15 civilians in Mufumbwe District, North-Western Province, allegedly at the hands of law enforcement officers. The incident, which remains officially unacknowledged by the Government, has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition figures and human rights advocates who are calling for immediate accountability and justice.

In a strongly worded press statement issued on Saturday, Brian Mundubile, Member of Parliament for Mporokoso Central and National Chairperson for the opposition TONSE Parliamentary Caucus, accused the Government of remaining “shamefully silent” over what he described as a “national abomination.”

“We issue this statement with a heavy heart and deep outrage at the silence of the Government… Where is the same urgency when lives are lost?” the statement read.

According to local accounts, the civilians reportedly small-scale miners were killed in what eyewitnesses claim was a violent confrontation with law enforcement deployed to the area. Details surrounding the exact circumstances remain unclear, with no official confirmation or denial from either the Zambia Police Service or the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security as of press time.

Mundubile’s statement suggests the victims were unarmed and engaging in artisanal mining a survival activity common in mineral-rich but impoverished regions. He lamented the perceived double standard in Zambia’s resource governance, where foreign corporations are welcomed and incentivized, while local citizens are criminalized.

“Their only ‘crime’ was attempting to lift themselves out of poverty by mining resources that rightfully belong to all Zambians… Our own people pay for access with their blood,” said Mundubile.

The killings, if confirmed, would mark one of the deadliest instances of alleged police brutality in recent years in Zambia. Critics argue the lack of official communication signals a deeper governance and human rights crisis.

Adding to the political tensions, Mundubile compared the State’s silence on the Mufumbwe killings with its loud and provocative stance on the burial dispute surrounding late former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

“We are equally appalled by inflammatory statements from government officials threatening civil unrest over the burial of our late President… What greater unrest can there be than the mass killing of citizens by the State?”

The opposition has since called on bereaved families in Mufumbwe to publicly identify the deceased, emphasizing that the victims “were not statistics… They had dreams, futures, and families.” The call seeks to humanize the tragedy and pressure authorities into launching a transparent investigation.

Mundubile further decried what he termed the Government’s betrayal of human rights, reminding President Hakainde Hichilema that his administration had once been praised for abolishing the death penalty only to now allegedly oversee extrajudicial executions.

Civil society organizations and legal experts have begun weighing in, warning that continued silence from the authorities could fuel distrust in state institutions and incite unrest in affected communities.

As the nation awaits an official response, calls are growing for an independent inquiry, compensation for the affected families, and a broader reform of law enforcement operations in rural and mining regions.

So far, no government official has publicly addressed the allegations. Efforts to reach the Minister of Home Affairs and the Inspector General of Police for comment have been unsuccessful.

July 6, 2025
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