Urgent Call for Safety of former Zambia’s Ambassador Martha Lungu…family writes to Inspector General of Police seeking immediate release

The family of former Zambian Ambassador to Switzerland, Martha Lungu Mwitumwa, has issued an urgent appeal to the Inspector General of the Zambia Police Service, Graphel Musamba, demanding her immediate and unconditional release. Ambassador Lungu, who also serves as a key administrator and campaigner for the opposition Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance, was taken into custody alongside media manager Hannah Isreal Katontoka during a series of security sweeps targeting opposition figures. According to family accounts and emerging reports, the detention has sparked widespread concern regarding civil liberties and due process as the nation edges closer to the general elections. Family representatives and legal counsels have expressed deep anxiety over the circumstances surrounding her apprehension, noting that initial police responses offered conflicting information regarding her whereabouts. Witnesses and online reports alleged that the former diplomat's vehicle was intercepted under tense conditions in Lusaka before she was taken into custody. The developments have cast a sharp spotlight on the operational conduct of law enforcement agencies, with opposition parties accusing the administration of weaponizing state apparatus to suppress political dissent and intimidate rival campaign teams. The arrest of Ambassador Lungu is part of a wider wave of detentions sweeping across various provinces, affecting opposition politicians, campaign staff, artists, and digital content creators. Political analysts note that these sweeping security actions reflect a volatile political climate where the line between maintaining public order and curtailing constitutional freedoms becomes increasingly blurred. Critics argue that such high-profile arrests risk deepening polarization and eroding public trust in democratic institutions as political actors jostle for influence ahead of the ballot. Inspector General Musamba and the police command have consistently maintained that security operations a