Zambia Closes Top Courts as Opposition Faces Deadline to Challenge Election Results

Zambian authorities closed the country's top courts on Monday, preventing access to the premises on the final day available for the opposition to challenge the results of the disputed August 13 presidential election.

The closure came as opposition leader Brian Mundubile prepared to file a petition at the Constitutional Court challenging President Hakainde Hichilema's re-election.

A memorandum issued by the judiciary's chief administrator and seen by Reuters instructed staff not to report to work, citing security concerns.

“For security reasons, all members of staff are advised not to report for work today,” the memorandum stated.

Police spokesman Godfrey Chilabi confirmed that security assessments were underway but declined to provide further details. A spokesperson for the judiciary was not immediately available for comment.

Opposition Races to File Petition

Mundubile, who finished second in the August 13 election, announced last week that he intended to challenge the results before the Constitutional Court.

Under Zambian law, a presidential election petition must be filed within seven days of the results being announced. The deadline was expected to expire in the early hours of Tuesday.

At the Supreme Court complex in Lusaka, which houses the Constitutional Court, gates were closed while police officers could be seen inside the premises.

Despite the closure, members of Mundubile's opposition alliance said they were still working to submit the petition before the deadline.

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

Election Results Under Dispute

Hichilema was declared the winner of the presidential election with approximately 60 percent of the vote in the southern African nation, which is one of the world's major copper producers.

However, two independent observer reports raised concerns about the accuracy of the official vote count, including indications that Hichilema's tally may have been inflated.

Hichilema has rejected allegations of electoral fraud.

The opposition's planned legal challenge could therefore provide a constitutional avenue for scrutinising the election results and addressing allegations raised during the electoral process.

Security Concerns Raise Alarm

The closure of the courts has triggered concern among analysts and human rights lawyers, who fear that the opposition could be prevented from exercising its constitutional right to challenge the election outcome.

Mundubile has faced increasing scrutiny from security authorities in recent weeks.

Following the arrest of several of his associates, he was summoned by police for questioning over alleged national security threats. Mundubile has dismissed the allegations as fabricated.

The latest developments have heightened concerns about the political environment surrounding the election dispute.

Hichilema's ruling party has maintained that Mundubile remains free to pursue available legal avenues to challenge the results.

However, the closure of the courts on the final day of the filing period has raised questions about whether the opposition will be able to meet the constitutional deadline.

Focus Turns to Constitutional Court

The immediate issue is whether Mundubile and his legal team can successfully lodge the petition before the deadline expires.

If the petition is filed, the Constitutional Court will have to consider the opposition's claims and determine whether they meet the legal threshold for challenging the presidential election.

If the opposition is unable to file the petition because of the court closure, the development could generate further controversy over access to justice and the handling of the disputed election.

With the filing deadline approaching, attention remains focused on whether Zambia's opposition will be able to secure a legal review of an election whose results have already drawn scrutiny from independent observers.