MONITOR | NRPUP Faces Silence as Petition Looms Amid Security Probe
The NRPUP is facing a difficult post-election moment, with communication among senior figures disrupted as the party prepares to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema’s re-election.
Munir Zulu acknowledged the communication breakdown in a short Facebook broadcast, while urging supporters to remain calm. He said the opposition was preparing to petition the presidential result and asked supporters not to lose focus following the defeat.
The uncertainty comes as Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu remain out of public view. News Diggers reported that the two had sought refuge at premises belonging to a United Nations agency in Lusaka, fearing arrest in connection with an investigation into an alleged militia network.
The two have also been out of communication publicly.
Authorities have previously linked several NRPUP figures to an investigation involving alleged illegal military training and weapons. The opposition has disputed parts of the government’s account and accused security agencies of targeting its members. These remain allegations under investigation, and no court has established criminal responsibility against Mundubile over the alleged militia activities.
Meanwhile, a senior figure within NRPUP has openly acknowledged the election defeat. Chris Zumani Zimba, the party’s chief presidential adviser and Tonse architect, said ECZ’s declaration must be recognised unless successfully overturned through the legal process.
“Legally, HH is our 8th President for the next five years. It is a notorious fact, a painful reality we must face and accept if we love Zambia,” Zimba wrote.
He also urged Mundubile to accept the immediate political reality while pursuing any grievances lawfully. “He must painfully concede defeat and call for peace and unity,” Zimba said, drawing parallels with Michael Sata’s acceptance of defeat to Rupiah Banda in 2008.
Zimba remains sharply critical of how the election was conducted. He alleges NRPUP faced restrictions during campaigning, financial pressure and problems during the counting process. But his message marks an important distinction inside the opposition: disputing an election is different from refusing to recognise the legal authority of the declared result.
ECZ declared Hichilema re-elected with 2,967,326 votes, or 60.7 percent, against Mundubile’s 1,856,217, or 38 percent. The difference was more than 1.1 million votes. NRPUP now faces the task of translating its complaints into evidence capable of sustaining an election petition.
Tensions have also surfaced away from Lusaka. Petauke in Eastern Province has recorded clashes involving political cadres following the declaration, prompting police action to restore order. Details surrounding individual incidents remain subject to verification.
The next few days could therefore prove as important for NRPUP as the campaign itself. The party has emerged from the election with 1.85 million presidential votes and a substantial political base, particularly across former PF strongholds.
But it must now manage defeat, organise a legal challenge and maintain command of supporters while several senior figures face security-related scrutiny.
For Hichilema, victory brings a different burden. A 60.7 percent mandate settles who won the presidency, but it does not erase the political divisions exposed by the campaign.
Zimba has called for reconciliation between Hichilema and Mundubile, arguing both men now have a responsibility to lower the temperature.
The election is finished. The disagreement is not. What happens next will depend on whether political grievances move into the courts and institutions, or spill back onto the streets.
– The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu