Zambia opposition rejects militia claims as Hichilema leads vote count

Zambian incumbent President and United Party for National Development (UPND) presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema casts his ballot at the Kabulonga Boys Secondary School polling station in Lusaka on August 13, 2026. Zambians went to the polls on August 13 with economic hardship testing President Hakainde Hichilema's record as he seeks a second term to govern the copper-rich nation. Polling stations in the southern African nation opened at 6:00 am (0400 GMT) and were due to close 12 hours later, with 8.7 million voters registered to cast their ballots.

Zambia's main opposition party said Monday it rejected government claims that its members -- including several under arrest -- were involved in militia or insurgent activity around last week's election.

A cabinet statement late Sunday said police had arrested 11 people, including opposition figures, in a raid on August 13, the day of the vote, that targeted a suspected militia posing "a serious threat to State security".

Thursday's elections in the copper-rich southern African nation were largely peaceful but the run-up was marred by opposition claims of intimidation, arrests, abductions and violence.

The main opposition NRPUP party led by former government minister Brian Mundubile -- the main challenger to President Hakainde Hichilema's bid for a second term -- said the raid had been at his home.

The party "rejects with absolute disdain the spurious and entirely false claims made by the Zambian Government that the NRPUP, its leadership or its members have been involved in insurgency, militia activity or any related conduct whatsoever," it said.

Its statement said the security operation was on August 14, the day after the election.

The cabinet said the operation was on August 13 "to apprehend suspected militia and persons of interest".

Some of those arrested were connected to "military plans involving foreign nationals and illegal military training camps, thus posing a serious threat to State security", it said.

"The individuals in issue were found in possession of high-grade military weapons, ammunition and other materials for use in armed insurrection," it said.

It listed six opposition figures as among those charged and in custody.

The latest results from late Sunday showed that Hichilema had nearly 60 percent of votes after ballots from 135 of the 226 constituencies had been counted.

A candidate needs more than 50 percent to win outright or face a run-off.