Ex-Zambian minister killed in security raid on opposition

They said the 49-year-old was killed in a shootout during the raid by a joint security task force, adding that they encountered "gunfire and resistance from unknown individuals, resulting in [them] returning fire"."In the process one unidentified male person was fatally wounded, and the firearm was recovered," the police said, adding that family members had subsequently identified him.Kafwaya first become a lawmaker in 2016 and was appointed by then-President Edgar Lungu as the for minister for works in 2018 and moved to the transport ministry the following year. He served there until 2021, when Lungu lost to Hichilema in the presidential election of that year. He continued serving as an opposition member of parliament.Regional and international observers described the election day as largely peaceful, but raised concerns about late electoral reforms, media freedom and access to the media in the run-up to the poll.The EU election observation mission warned at the weekend that restrictions on the opposition in the campaigning period may have contributed to an "uneven contest".In its report on Wednesday, the observers said the results tabulation process "deteriorated significantly" once counting had resumed after a six-hour pause. The electoral commission halted the count citing violence against its staff and alleging ballot-box theft. The EU mission said staff in many centres did not record results on tally sheets as soon as they were announced, and cited weak verification between digital entries and paper records. It added that returning officers frequently paused proceedings while awaiting instructions from headquarters.