Former Zambian government minister and opposition lawmaker, Mutotwe Kafwaya, has died after being shot during a security operation in Lusaka.

According to police authorities, Kafwaya was fatally wounded last Friday when security personnel raided a property reportedly linked to opposition politician Brian Mundubile. The incident occurred just one day after Zambia’s presidential election.

Police said the operation involved a joint security team and resulted in the arrest of 11 people. Authorities alleged that a political group associated with Mundubile was involved in activities linked to insurgency and militancy, with weapons reportedly recovered during the operation.

Security officials said they encountered armed resistance while carrying out the raid. Police alleged that their personnel came under gunfire from unidentified individuals before responding with their own weapons.

During the confrontation, one unidentified man was shot. He was later identified by members of his family as Kafwaya.

Mundubile has denied the allegations against his political alliance, describing them as false. He also said he was not informed about where Kafwaya had been taken after he was wounded.

The opposition leader has reportedly gone into hiding and has vowed to challenge the presidential election result in court, alleging irregularities in the voting process.

Kafwaya, 49, entered Zambia’s Parliament in 2016 and later served under former President Edgar Lungu. He initially held the position of Minister of Works and Supply before becoming Minister of Transport and Communications.

Following Lungu’s defeat by Hakainde Hichilema in the 2021 presidential election, Kafwaya continued his political career as an opposition lawmaker.

Hichilema was declared the winner of the latest presidential election after securing about 60 per cent of the vote, while Mundubile reportedly obtained approximately 38 per cent.

The election has since been followed by increased political tensions, including the detention of opposition figures during the security operation.

The United Nations human rights chief has expressed concern over the arrests and called on the Zambian authorities to ensure that the rights of those detained are protected through due process.

The European Union election observation mission has also raised concerns about aspects of the election, including delays in announcing results, weaknesses in verification procedures and the presence of military personnel at some vote-tallying centres.