Mundubile denies militia links, says police raid fabricated to divert from polls
NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has denied allegations that his residence in Lusaka’s Kabulonga area was being used by a militia, describing the Government’s account of a police operation at the premises as a fabrication intended to divert attention from concerns surrounding the 2026 general elections.
This reaction follows a statement by Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa that the Zambia Police Service, acting on a tip-off from members of the public, conducted a joint operation at a premises in Kabulonga on the night of August 13.
Kangwa said 11 were apprehended and that some of the people apprehended had been under surveillance for some time for being connected to military plans involving foreign nationals and illegal military training camps.
This is after authorities allegedly found and seized restricted high grade military weapons and ammunition along with the suspects apprehended.
Mundubile said the allegations contained in the statement were inaccurate and that no foreign nationals or sophisticated military weapons were found at his residence.
The presidential candidate was speaking during a Facebook Live interview with Tonse Alliance chairperson for information Emmanuel Mwamba following the Government’s statement on the police operation.
Among the 11 arrested were NRPUP’s presidential spokesperson George Chisanga, UNIP president Bishop Trevor Mwamba, Simon Phiri, Patrick Mwansa Francis Mulenga and Mundubile’s bodyguard Richard Banda.
“When I listened to the statement, I became very, very concerned and saddened that the entire Government machinery would go before the entire nation and fabricate stories, ignore the real issues that they needed to address in that particular incident, and begin to implicate innocent individuals,” Mundubile said.
He shared that on the fateful night after the election on Thursday, his security team informed him that their offices had allegedly been raided and party cadres arrested.
Mundubile said shortly afterwards, his security detail informed him that the Kabulonga residence had been surrounded.
According to Mundubile, gunshots were fired during the incident and several members of the security team and occupants of the house sought refuge inside the residence.
He alleged that armed personnel entered the house and fired shots in the direction of former Member of Parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya and himself.
According to Mundubile, the incident also endangered members of his family, including his wife, three daughters and a niece.
He however denied that foreign nationals were present at the residence or that the premises contained high-grade military weapons.
“To put it straight, Ambassador, there was no foreign person in that yard. There was no sophisticated weapon in that yard,” he said.
Mundubile also denied that members of his team had fled the scene, saying the information contained in the Government statement was inaccurate.
He said his party had no links to any militia or foreign military forces and maintained that the NRPUP was committed to peace and national unity.
“We are a non-violent political formation. We have had a very peaceful political run because our members have been told that there will be no terrorism, there will be no political violence in our country,” he said.
Mundubile also rejected claims that his security personnel were former special forces operating as a private militia, saying his bodyguard, Banda, was an ex-police officer who openly provided him with security.
He said the controversy surrounding the police operation should not distract Zambians from what he described as more important concerns relating to the management of the 2026 general election.
Mundubile said his concerns is on the chain of custody of ballot papers, the transportation and custody of election materials, the alleged involvement of intelligence and military personnel in handling ballots, and the withdrawal of Gen20 forms by local government officials.
He said his party was making efforts to establish the results recorded at polling stations and compare them with figures being announced.
Mundubile maintained that any electoral grievances should be resolved through constitutional and legal channels rather than through violence.
In a statement he read during the interview, Mundubile said he stood for peace and would not support violence, intimidation, destruction of property or persecution of citizens on account of how they voted.
He urged his supporters to remain calm and disciplined, warning them against retaliating against provocation or attacking people who voted differently.
“Our political opponents are not our enemies. They are fellow citizens with whom we all continue to share the country long after this election is over,” he said.
Mundubile also called on State institutions, including the police and Electoral Commission of Zambia, to operate impartially and urged them to investigate electoral disputes through established constitutional processes.
He also denied claims that the party had sent people for militia training abroad or was connected to foreign military forces.
Meanwhile, Government said the 11 suspects were being held at various police stations in Lusaka and will be granted access to their families and lawyers as investigations continue.
Kalemba