LUSAKA – Zambia’s High Court in Lusaka and other parts of the country have been closed and barricaded as “crime scenes”, disrupting court proceedings on the final day for filing a presidential election petition.

The shutdown, which also affected lower courts, was announced in a memorandum from chief administrator of the judiciary Nalishebo Imataa advising all court staff not to report for work on Monday because of an alleged security threat.

“For security reasons, all members of staff are advised not to report for work today. Guidance will be issued in due course, once the situation is contained,” Imataa wrote in the memo dated August 24.

The closures have resulted in court matters being adjourned and raised concerns over access to justice, particularly as Monday is the deadline for filing a petition challenging the results of the August 13 presidential election.

Former Law Society of Zambia president Linda Kasonde described the development as unprecedented and warned that it could have serious implications for democracy.

“What is happening in Zambia is completely unprecedented. Today, we have witnessed our entire judiciary being shut down, purportedly due to a security threat,” Kasonde said.

“Today also happens to be the final day for filing a presidential election petition to challenge the results of the 13th August 2026 presidential election. Today may be the last day of our democracy.”

The closures come as opposition leader Brian Mundubile prepares to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema’s re-election.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared Hichilema the winner on August 18 with 60 percent of the vote, against 38 percent for Mundubile, securing the incumbent a second five-year term.

Mundubile said the result should not stand.

“Our campaign has documented serious irregularities, inconsistencies and circumstances surrounding the conduct, counting, transmission and declaration of results,” he said in a statement issued from an undisclosed location.

Mundubile had earlier said he was under protection because of threats.

The election was largely peaceful on polling day, but tensions escalated after the vote, with about 11 people, including senior opposition figures, arrested in a government operation described as a crackdown on “militia activity”.

Mundubile’s National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity denied any links to militias.

Vote counting was also suspended for several hours after the electoral commission reported attacks on polling officials and the theft of ballots.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed concern over reports of arrests of opposition members and urged Zambian authorities to uphold due process.

The European Union election observation mission also raised questions about transparency in the results tabulation process.

“Observers reported extended breaks during the results tabulation process in almost half of observations, as the returning officers seemed to wait and receive instructions from… headquarters before announcing results,” the mission said.

The court shutdown now threatens to further complicate the opposition’s efforts to mount a legal challenge to the election result.

The reason for the security alert and the circumstances surrounding the declaration of the court premises as crime scenes were not immediately clear.