Mundubile Raises Alarm Over Missing Campaign Team
DEVELOPING | Mundubile Raises Alarm Over Missing Campaign Team
Tonse Pamodzi Alliance presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has raised fresh allegations of state interference in his campaign, claiming 34 members of his security detail are missing while money intended for polling agents and vote protection has been seized.
Addressing the media in Lusaka this afternoon, Mundubile alleged the missing security personnel had been abducted by people he described as state agents acting in the interests of the ruling UPND.
The latest claim expands earlier allegations by the alliance involving members of its security team who were reportedly sent to Russia for specialised VVIP protection training and allegedly disappeared after returning through Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
Mundubile further alleged his personal chef had been abducted, while a member of the opposition media team who had been documenting the alliance’s campaign was also missing. He said musicians, a comedian and bloggers associated with the campaign had been detained in Mongu, Western Province. Police have previously taken action following disturbances surrounding opposition campaign activities in Western Province, but the specific allegations Mundubile raised today require an official account from law enforcement.
The opposition candidate appealed to the Church, journalists, lawyers, civil society organisations and other democratic institutions to take interest in the developments. He also appealed to members of the diplomatic corps and international election observers currently in Zambia, asking them to document the alliance’s complaints as part of their assessment of the August 13 General Election.
Mundubile said the alliance was particularly concerned about its ability to monitor Thursday’s vote, claiming money intended to pay polling agents and support what the opposition calls “vote protection” had been seized. With voting taking place nationwide, deployment of polling agents represents one of the largest logistical operations facing political parties during an election.
The alliance has also offered a new explanation for its absence from Southern Province. Tonse had initially raised security concerns and on Monday opted for a virtual rally instead of physically campaigning in the province. Mundubile has now apologised to Southern Province residents and linked the failure to travel there to the alleged seizure of campaign money.
He said the alliance was looking for additional resources and would travel to Southern Province physically if funds became available.
This marks an important change in the explanation surrounding the Southern Province campaign. Security had dominated the alliance’s earlier public statements. Financial constraints have now entered its official account.
Mundubile has meanwhile urged his supporters to turn out in large numbers on Thursday and remain around polling stations after casting their ballots, while observing electoral rules, as part of what he describes as protecting their vote.
His campaign maintains the developments of the past several days should form part of the record considered by election observers when assessing the credibility of the election.
Away from today’s public briefing, The People’s Brief has been monitoring considerable internal discussion across opposition-linked WhatsApp and Telegram groups, including competing explanations surrounding the campaign’s finances, security operations and alleged external support.
Some discussions have included claims involving former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila. We have not independently established those allegations and are therefore not presenting them as fact. They remain matters under verification.
The same evidentiary standard applies to today’s allegations of abduction and seizure of funds. We have not independently confirmed that 34 security personnel were abducted, nor have authorities publicly provided an account establishing what happened to all the individuals Mundubile says are missing.
These claims remain allegations by the opposition until independently corroborated or answered by the relevant state institutions.
With polling opening on Thursday, the political environment is moving quickly. Mundubile’s briefing has now placed alleged abductions, detentions, campaign financing and polling-agent deployment at the centre of the alliance’s closing concerns.
This is a developing story. The People’s Brief is monitoring responses from the Zambia Police Service, ECZ and other relevant authorities and will update readers as verified information becomes available.
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