Ex-Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya Dies in Security Operation Targeting Zambian Opposition Leader

A former Zambian cabinet minister, Mutotwe Kafwaya, tragically lost his life after being shot during a security force operation at the residence of the country's main opposition leader, Mundubile. The incident occurred in the aftermath of last week's presidential elections.

Police authorities confirmed that law enforcement officers fatally wounded Mr. Kafwaya on Friday in Lusaka, the capital city. Officials described the event as an exchange of gunfire during a security operation. According to reports from the BBC, eleven individuals were apprehended during the raid. The authorities have accused Mundubile's party, the NRPUP, of being involved in "insurgency" and "militia activity," further alleging that they stored "high-grade" weaponry. Mundubile, who has since gone into hiding, vehemently rejected these allegations, labeling them "total fabrications."

Official election results indicate that the incumbent President, Hakainde Hichilema, secured a second five-year term, garnering 60% of the votes. Mundubile, who trailed with 38%, intends to legally challenge the election outcome, citing alleged tampering with the vote tallying process.

On Tuesday, the opposition leader spoke about Mr. Kafwaya, stating he had no knowledge of his whereabouts after he was shot during the raid, which Mundubile confirmed took place at his home. Police officially confirmed Kafwaya's death late on Wednesday, amidst increasing public demands for information regarding his fate. They stated that the 49-year-old was killed in a shootout during the raid conducted by a joint security task force. The police further noted that their personnel encountered "gunfire and resistance from unknown individuals, resulting in [them] returning fire." They added, "In the process, one unidentified male person was fatally wounded, and the firearm was recovered," before confirming that his family members later identified him.

Kafwaya first entered parliament in 2016 and was subsequently appointed Minister for Works in 2018 by then-President Edgar Lungu. He later moved to the transport ministry the following year, serving until 2021 when Lungu was defeated by Hichilema in that year's presidential election. He continued his tenure as an opposition Member of Parliament.

While regional and international observers largely characterized the election day as peaceful, they expressed reservations regarding delayed electoral reforms, limitations on media freedom, and unequal access to media during the pre-election period. The European Union election observation mission cautioned over the weekend that restrictions imposed on the opposition during the campaign might have contributed to an "uneven contest." In its Wednesday report, the observers highlighted that the results tabulation process "deteriorated significantly" once counting resumed after a six-hour interruption. The electoral commission had paused the count, citing violence against its staff and accusations of ballot-box theft. The EU mission noted that staff in many centers failed to record results on tally sheets immediately after their announcement and pointed to weak verification between digital entries and paper records. It also observed that returning officers frequently halted proceedings while awaiting directives from headquarters.