By Lovemore Lubinda
Zambia’s main opposition grouping, the Tonse Alliance, has raised fresh alarm days before the country votes, alleging that three members of its security team were abducted at Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport after returning from specialized training in Russia.
The claim was made on Monday by Binwell Mpundu, the Tonse Alliance Presidential Affairs Chairman. He told journalists that the three men had been sent to Moscow for VVIP protection training meant for the alliance’s presidential candidate, Brian Mundubile.
According to Mpundu, the training was arranged openly and was not intended to be secretive. The men were selected from within party structures, he said, to help strengthen protection for the alliance’s presidential candidates ahead of a tense campaign period.
Mpundu said the team landed in Lusaka from Moscow and were taken almost immediately after arriving. “We decided in trying to save and protect the lives of our presidents to have three individuals receive this important training,” he told reporters.
“They were returning through the international airport when, as we speak now, these individuals are missing. In short, they have been abducted.”
The Tonse Alliance brings together several opposition parties, with the New Republic Party of the United People, NRPUP, providing the alliance’s presidential flag bearer in Mundubile.
The alliance has in recent weeks complained of what it calls increasing attacks during campaign activities, and Mpundu linked the decision to send the men for training to those incidents.
He warned that the alleged disappearance could shake public trust in the election process. “This is the kind of thing that makes people lose confidence in how free and fair the election will be,” he said.
He urged international observer missions already in Zambia to take note, saying the alleged abduction fits into a wider pattern of interference against his party.
Among the examples he gave were claims of opposition candidates being approached with money to drop out, and what he described as intimidation of campaign teams in rural areas.
Mpundu did not provide evidence for those claims during the briefing, and said more details would be released once the party had gathered information.
The chairman also made a direct appeal to communities in Western Province. The Tonse Alliance is scheduled to hold campaign events there over the next three days.
Mpundu asked residents not to be drawn into what he called efforts to cause confusion or violence against the alliance’s leadership. “We are asking the people of Western Province to protect democracy,” he said. “Do not allow yourselves to be used to create problems for leaders who are coming to talk to you.”
By the time of the briefing, neither the Zambia Police Service nor the management of Kenneth Kaunda International Airport had commented on the allegation.
No official statement had been issued confirming an incident at the airport, and no independent source had verified that the three men had arrived on the flight Mpundu referenced. The party also did not release the names of the individuals, saying that was for security reasons.
Mundubile himself had not spoken publicly about the matter by Monday evening. The NRPUP Vice President, Kelvin Zulu, also had not commented. Attempts by journalists at the briefing to get more details on when the flight landed and which airline was used were not answered.
The allegation comes at a time when political tension in Zambia is visibly high. Campaigning is in its final stretch and both the ruling party and opposition have been trading accusations of violence, sabotage and dirty tactics.
On social media and in campaign meetings, unverified videos and voice notes claiming attacks on party convoys have been circulating. Civil society groups have called for calm and urged political parties to report incidents to police instead of holding press briefings.
For Malawi, developments in Zambia matter directly. The two countries share a long border and deep trade links. Fuel, maize and other goods move daily between Lusaka, Chipata, Mzuzu and Lilongwe.
Any instability in Zambia often shows up in Malawi within days through fuel shortages, border delays and movement of people. That is why Malawian observers, political parties and ordinary traders are watching the Zambian election closely.
International observers from the African Union, SADC and the European Union are already deployed in Zambia. Their job in the next week will be to monitor campaign conditions, media coverage and the conduct of the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
Mpundu’s call was for those missions to pay special attention to what he termed “schemes to disrupt the opposition.” Whether the observer groups will comment on the airport allegation remains unclear.
Security experts in Lusaka note that VVIP protection training abroad is not unusual for political parties in the region, especially in election years.
However, they also say such training often draws scrutiny from state security agencies, which are responsible for protecting all candidates under Zambian law. The law provides for police protection for presidential candidates, and parties are expected to coordinate any private security arrangements with authorities.
The lack of an immediate response from police or airport authorities has left a gap that both sides of the political divide are filling with speculation.
Supporters of the Tonse Alliance have shared Mpundu’s press briefing widely online, calling it proof of state interference. Supporters of the ruling party have questioned why the names of the alleged abducted men were not given, and why no missing persons report had been made public.
What happens next will likely depend on whether the police confirm an investigation. If the three men are produced, the opposition will face questions about why they described a lawful arrest or detention as an abduction. If they are not found, pressure will mount on authorities to explain what happened at the airport.
For now, Zambia heads into the final days of campaigning with this new claim adding to an already charged atmosphere.
In Malawi, the story is being followed not just as politics, but as a neighbor’s election that could affect fuel queues in Lilongwe, maize prices in Mzuzu, and the movement of Malawians who work and trade across the border.
The Maravi Post will continue to follow the story and seek comment from the Zambia Police Service, airport authorities, and the Tonse Alliance as more information becomes available.
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