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National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) leader and self-acclaimed winner of the August presidential poll, Brian Mundubile, has alleged that heavily armed personnel believed to be members of the Zambia Army invaded his residence in what he described as an attempt on his life, as the country awaited full election results.
The incident occurred late Friday night, according to Mundubile, hours after the Electoral Commission of Zambia paused the announcement of results.
Mundubile said shots were fired during the raid and that several people in his presence were injured, including former Lunte lawmaker, Mutotwe Kafwaya, and that the attack happened at a time when the nation was already tense over the ongoing vote count.
He addressed the nation in a statement on Saturday, saying the events of the night had left his family and staff traumatized. He also raised concerns about the whereabouts of several members of his team who were with him during the operation.
“I speak to you today having personally witnessed something I never imagined I would see in our beloved country called Zambia. Last night heavily armed personnel believed to be members of the Zambia Army came to my residence in what I can only describe as an attempt on my life,” Mundubile stated.
He named Kafwaya among those shot at during the incident with others sustaining serious gunshot wounds and that he watched colleagues bleed as gunfire erupted.
“This was not politics. This was an attack on human life. I thank God that I am alive today. And my heart is with Honourable Mutotwe Kafwaya and other colleagues who were similarly affected together with their families. And every person who has been traumatized by what happened,” Mundubile said.
The NRPUP leader said he was praying for the recovery of the injured and for strength for their families and called on medical personnel to give the victims the best possible care.
“You may attack me but you will not destroy my love for Zambia. You may intimidate me but you will not make me abandon the Zambian people. You mess around my home with guns but you will not make me pick up a gun against my fellow Zambians,” he said.
Mundubile said he would not respond to violence with violence and urged Zambians to remain peaceful despite the incident, saying he would pursue the matter through constitutional means.
He then turned to the issue of missing persons, demanding that the Commander of the Zambia Army account for every person encountered during the operation at his residence.
“I’m therefore demanding that the commander of the Zambia Army immediately accounts for every person taken, detained or encountered by personnel during last night’s operation. In particular, the nation deserves an immediate answer regarding the whereabouts of Patrick Mwansa, the husband of Tasila Lungu, George Chisanga, my presidential spokesperson, Reverend Bishop Trevor Mwamba, Richard Banda, my bodyguard, Jackson Chewe, who are part of the security detail, Members of the campaign team, Every other person who was present at my residence,” Mundubile said.
He asked whether the named individuals were injured, in military custody, or had been released, and under what authority any detention was being carried out as families were waiting for answers.
“These are not unreasonable questions. Families are waiting, mothers are waiting, children are waiting, wives and husbands are waiting. The commander of the Zambia Army holds these families answers,” Mundubile stated.
The NRPUP leader directly addressed the Commander of the Zambia Army, saying the institution belonged to the people of Zambia and not to any political party and questioned who ordered the operation and why live ammunition was used.
He also addressed President Hakainde Hichilema, urging him not to allow the army to be drawn into political disputes and called on soldiers to remember their oath to the constitution and not to be used against fellow citizens.
Mundubile appealed to Zambians not to retaliate, saying the country must be guided by peace, ballots, and the rule of law rather than violence adding that Zambia should be left to future generations as a country where elections are decided peacefully.
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