Zambia's leading opposition figure arrested on treason charges and moved to high-security jail
Brian Mundubile, the main opposition candidate who placed second in the recent election, was charged with treason and transferred under armed guard to a maximum-security prison.
Mundubile, who received 38% of the vote in the August 13 poll, was detained together with his running mate Makebi Zulu and businessman Harry Findlay. Authorities allege they were part of an 18-person plot to topple President Hakainde Hichilema's government in the days before his re-election. Police said a raid on Mundubile's Lusaka residence uncovered weapons, a claim the politician rejects, insisting his staff were unarmed. He had earlier taken shelter in a United Nations building before surrendering to officials last week.
Why it matters
The arrests could destabilize Zambia's democratic image and affect regional political stability.
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