Zambia opposition candidate alleges Tanzanian mercenaries interfered in election; Tanzania denies claims
Zambia opposition candidate alleges Tanzanian mercenaries interfered in election; Tanzania denies claims
LUSAKA/DAR ES SALAAM — Zambia’s main opposition presidential candidate has accused Tanzania of sending mercenaries to interfere in the country’s general election, prompting a swift denial from Tanzanian authorities as vote counting continued amid reports of violence and irregularities.
Brian Mundubile, the National Restoration Party for Unity and Progress (NRPUP) candidate and standard-bearer of the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance, made the allegation in a press briefing.
He claimed Tanzanians had been deployed to Zambia to influence the electoral process and called on any such individuals to leave the country and return home.
Tanzania rejected the claims. Government Chief Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa stated that the country “has not sent anyone to Zambia to interfere in its elections, and that is not our practice.”
He said Tanzania had instructed its ambassador in Zambia to seek clarification through diplomatic channels and noted that any Tanzanians present as election observers could be part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission invited by the host country.
Zambia held presidential, parliamentary and local elections on August 13, 2026. Incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND) is seeking a second term.
Mundubile, a former Patriotic Front minister, emerged as his primary challenger after opposition alliances consolidated.
Vote counting was temporarily suspended on August 14 after reports of violence against polling staff and alleged theft of ballot papers.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) later resumed the process, saying the security threat had been contained.
Partial results released showed Hichilema leading with about 52.6 percent of votes counted versus Mundubile’s 42.1 percent, though the commission cautioned that figures were not final.
Mundubile has claimed victory based on his party’s parallel count and alleged further irregularities, including military involvement at some tallying centres.
International observers reported that the election was competitive but marred by intimidation, violence and restrictions.
The European Parliament’s observer mission described the counting suspension as “disproportionate” and noted claims of opposition intimidation by security forces.
Police reported isolated incidents, including the killing of a polling agent, and said several arrests had been made while maintaining that voting was largely peaceful.
The allegations of Tanzanian involvement surface against the backdrop of Tanzania’s own contentious 2025 election, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan secured a landslide victory amid opposition exclusions, protests and a deadly security crackdown.
Human rights groups and opposition figures reported hundreds of deaths; a government-appointed commission later put the toll at 518 and blamed outside forces, a finding disputed by critics.
As of August 16, final results from Zambia’s election had not been declared.
The ECZ has indicated it aims to announce them in the coming days.