Police raid Zambia opposition leader's house

Armed police raided the house of Zambia's leading opposition leader on Monday with a view to arresting him, his vice confirmed the incident on Tuesday.

Hundreds of police officers raided the house of Hakainde Hichilema, leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND) with a view to arresting him following allegations that his entourage blocked President Edgar Lungu's motorcade in the western part of the country on Saturday.

His vice, Geoffrey Mwaamba, told reporters that the police have been instructed to arrest the opposition leader and charge him with treason.

"They are claiming that he has committed a treasonable offense. Very sad indeed over what is happening in Zambia. Edgar has become a dictator," he said.

He said what was happening in the country has never happened before and added that he was also ready to be arrested and sent to jail.

He said what happened in Mongu town, the provincial of western Zambia on Saturday should not be blamed on the opposition but the police who failed to man the road properly.

Efforts to get a comment from the police proved futile as the spokesperson could not respond to calls.

According to local media, some journalists and senior party officials were assaulted when they went to the residence of the opposition leader situated on the eastern outskirts of Lusaka, the country's capital.

The opposition leader has come under attack after television footages showed his convoy traveling side by side with Lungu's motorcade on a road in western Zambia's Mongu district.

But the opposition party has denied accusations that it blocked Lungu's motorcade. Endit