Zambia closes courts on last day to file election challenge

Zambian authorities closed the country’s top courts on Monday, blocking access to the premises on the last day the opposition could file a challenge to this month’s disputed election.

A memorandum from the chief administrator of the judiciary, seen by Reuters, said: “For security reasons, all members of staff are advised not to report for work today.”

Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi said security assessments were ongoing and declined to give details. A spokesperson for the judiciary could not be reached.

Opposition leader Brian Mundubile said last week that he planned to file a petition with the Constitutional Court to challenge the results of the 13 August election, in which he came second to President Hakainde Hichilema.

The deadline to file such a challenge is seven days after the result was announced, which would be in the early hours of Tuesday.

At the Supreme Court premises in Lusaka, which also includes the Constitutional Court, all the gates were closed and police could be seen inside.

Hichilema won re-election with about 60% of votes in the copper-rich country. Mundubile said his campaign had detected “serious irregularities, inconsistencies ​and circumstances surrounding the conduct, counting, transmission and declaration of results". Hichilema has denied any fraud took place.

Following the arrests of several of his associates, Mundubile was summoned by police for questioning last week in connection with alleged national security threats, which he says are fabricated.

Analysts and human rights lawyers said they suspected he might be prevented from filing his petition, though Hichilema’s party said Mundubile was free to use the legal routes available to him.

“We are trying our best to ensure that the petition is filed but we will see how it goes,” said New Heritage Party president Chishala Kateka, whose party belongs to Mundubile’s opposition alliance.