13/09/2026
Due process or failure Muhabi challenges Zambia’s State"
..in the aftermath of the polls and detentions
From Crown TV Zambia—Muhabi Lungu
Lusaka, 13 September 2026 — Zambia’s political temperature continues to rise as opposition figures remain in detention weeks after the disputed 13 August presidential election, with a political analyst and former detainee Muhabi Lungu warning that the country risks sliding into ‘authoritarianism.
Appearing on Crown TV’s flagship current affairs programme Hardball’ Sunday, hosted by Alfred Chimba, Lungu drew parallels between his own treason trial three decades ago and the current plight of opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, who, along with 18 others, face treason charges but have yet to appear in court.
According to Lungu, Mundubile and others are supposed to be presented to court within reasonable time of at least 48 hours by the state after arrest, from his lived experience.
Lungu recalled about 30 years ago, the infamous “Black Mamba” case in which he and eight others, including Rabson Chongo and Inyambo Yeta (then vice president to Dr. Kenneth Kaunda), were charged with treason and murder.
He said, “Judge Peter Chitengi told the state: you have charged these people with serious offences of treason and murder, please bring them to court. That is what due process means,” Lungu said, lamenting that Mundubile, Zulu, Bishop Trevor Mwamba, lawyer George Chisanga, and businessman Patrick Mwansa have not been presented before a judge for weeks.
Lungu accused the state of weaponizing power against political opponents. “President Hichilema himself was jailed in 2017 and detained at Mukobeko. Is this the same reason he is detaining Brian and Makebi, who were not even presidents then?” Lungu asked.
He challenged authorities to clarify whether a state of emergency has been declared in zambia, given the prolonged detentions, masked prison warders at Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison, and revoked passports of cri