By Francis Chipalo
State House has dismissed allegations that President Hakainde Hichilema ordered the closure of courts on Monday, August 24, 2026, in an attempt to prevent opposition parties and other stakeholders from filing petitions challenging the 2026 presidential election results.
State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka described the allegations as inconsistent with Zambia’s constitutional order and the available facts, insisting that President Hichilema has no authority to direct the Judiciary on when or how courts should operate.
Hamasaka said the President respects the separation of powers and remains committed to good governance, the rule of law and the independence of the Judiciary.
“The Judiciary is an independent arm of the State, and the President has neither the constitutional authority nor the power to determine when, how or from whom the courts receive filings,” Hamasaka said in a statement issued to the media.
The clarification comes amid claims circulating in the aftermath of the August 13, 2026 General Election that security measures implemented at key government premises had affected access to the courts at a time when parties could challenge the election outcome.
According to State House, however, the measures implemented on Monday were part of wider government security risk assessments and were not specifically targeted at the Judiciary or intended to prevent the filing of election petitions.
Hamasaka said the security assessments were conducted at several key government institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, the National Prosecution Authority and the Attorney General’s Chambers.
He said the operations were intelligence-led and preventive in nature and were intended to strengthen the protection of government institutions, public officers and members of the public.
“The operations were intelligence-led and preventive, aimed at safeguarding Government institutions, public officers and members of the public,” Hamasaka stated.
The explanation is consistent with an earlier statement by Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba, who said security risk assessments were being conducted at selected government premises as part of routine measures aimed at identifying and addressing potential security vulnerabilities.
State House has also pointed to the timing of the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s announcement of the presidential election results.
Hamasaka said the Electoral Commission of Zambia declared the presidential results on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, thereby opening the statutory 14-day period within which presidential election petitions could be filed.
He said no petition had been lodged against the presidential election result during that period, arguing that the law establishes the deadline for filing but does not require a petitioner to wait until the final hours of the prescribed period.
“The law fixes the outer limit of the filing period; it does not require a petitioner to wait until its final hours to approach the court,” Hamasaka said.
The statement comes against the backdrop of growing public attention surrounding potential legal challenges to the August 13 presidential election, following President Hichilema’s declaration as the winner by the ECZ.
State House has urged the public not to interpret security operations at government premises as an attempt to deny citizens access to justice.
Hamasaka maintained that the security assessments and the judicial process are separate matters and should not be conflated.
He further assured the public that the courts remain available to individuals and organisations seeking to exercise their legal rights.
“The courts remain open to those who invoke them,” State House said.
The issue is likely to remain a subject of public and political debate as stakeholders continue to assess the post-election environment and consider available legal avenues for challenging electoral outcomes.
For now, State House maintains that President Hichilema did not order the courts to close and that the security measures carried out on August 24 were part of broader intelligence-led government security assessments rather than an attempt to block election petitions.
