Former Zambian minister Mutotwe Kafwaya has been killed during a security operation at a property linked to opposition politician Brian Mundubile, according to Zambian police.
Kafwaya, 49, was fatally wounded on Friday in Lusaka, a day after Zambia’s presidential election. Police said the death occurred during an exchange of gunfire between security forces and unidentified individuals at the property.
According to the police account, a joint security task force raided the property as part of an operation linked to allegations of insurgency and militia activity. Authorities said they encountered resistance and gunfire, prompting officers to return fire.
Police said one unidentified man was fatally wounded during the confrontation and that a firearm was recovered. Kafwaya was subsequently identified as the deceased by members of his family.
The operation also reportedly resulted in the arrest of 11 people.
Opposition leader rejects allegations
Mundubile, whose property was reportedly the subject of the raid, has rejected the authorities’ allegations, describing them as “total fabrications.”
The opposition leader has also gone into hiding following the operation. He said he had not been informed about Kafwaya’s whereabouts after the former minister was shot during the security operation.
The development has intensified political tensions in Zambia following the country’s presidential election.
President Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner of the August 13 election with about 60 per cent of the vote, while Mundubile reportedly secured about 38 per cent. Mundubile has rejected the result and indicated that he intends to challenge it in court.
Kafwaya’s political career
Kafwaya first entered Zambia’s Parliament in 2016 and subsequently served in government under former President Edgar Lungu.
He held the position of Minister of Works and Supply before later becoming Minister of Transport and Communications. After Lungu lost the presidency in 2021, Kafwaya remained an opposition member of parliament.
His death has therefore come at a particularly sensitive moment for Zambia, with political tensions already heightened following the election.
The United Nations human rights chief has expressed concern over the arrests linked to the security operation and called on Zambian authorities to respect the due-process rights of detainees. The European Union’s election observation mission has also raised concerns about aspects of the election process, including delays in vote counting and a heavy military presence at some tallying centres.
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