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The Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance has written to African Union Chairperson President, Évariste Ndayishimiye, seeking urgent intervention in Zambia’s post-election situation, citing the killing of an opposition leader, the refuge of presidential candidates at United Nations premises, and an expiring constitutional remedy.
In a letter dated August 23 and addressed through AU Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Alliance said events of the past nine days now engage the Union directly, including its values, instruments, and its own Election Observation Mission.
The letter was signed by Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, formerly Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, on behalf of the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance and its presidential candidate, Brian Mundubile, who was declared runner-up in the August 13 general election.
The letter referenced findings by the European Union Mission which observed in 64 totalling centres and reported that verification of digital results against paper tally sheets dropped after the suspension, while a heavy military presence intimidated participants.
On the killing of a senior Alliance official, Mwamba stated, “On the night of 14 August, hours after our candidate had held a consultative meeting with the Joint African Union-COMESA Election Observation Mission, an armed operation was conducted at his residence in Kabulonga. Hon. Mutotwe Kafwaya, former Cabinet Minister and the Chairperson for Finance of this Alliance, was shot and died that night.”
He said the Government denied for five days that any operation had occurred before the Central Joint Operations Committee confirmed the operation and killing on 19 August.
Mwamba noted that the Law Association of Zambia and the Human Rights Commission had called for an independent investigation.
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“On 17 August, our presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Hon. Brian Mundubile and Hon. Makebi Zulu, took refuge at the premises of a United Nations agency in Lusaka, fearing for their lives,” he wrote.
Mwamba said the United Nations has formally notified the Government of their presence, while police have issued a call-out for both men on allegations of treason and insurrection and warned that anyone harbouring them could be treated as an accessory.
He stressed the legal implications, noting “Under Article 101 of the Constitution of Zambia, a petition challenging the declaration must be filed in the Constitutional Court within seven days, that is, by 25 August 2026, two days from the date of this letter.”
The Alliance said it was not asking the AU to declare them winner, but was requesting urgent action before the deadline expired.
Mwamba wrote “We ask you, with respect and urgency, to act on what is admitted, before the window closes,” listing requests that include, guarantees for the safety of the candidates, and respect for the inviolability of UN premises.
The letter further calls for the immediate release of detained counsel, an end to obstruction of petition preparation, an independent investigation into Kafwaya’s killing, and for normalisation of the declared outcome to be withheld until final observer reports are issued and any petition is adjudicated.
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