{"id":5881,"date":"2026-07-07T09:10:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T09:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/?p=5881"},"modified":"2026-07-24T10:04:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T10:04:22","slug":"the-chameleon-the-colonial-law-and-the-dead-president-inside-zambias-political-earthquake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/the-chameleon-the-colonial-law-and-the-dead-president-inside-zambias-political-earthquake\/","title":{"rendered":"The Chameleon, the Colonial Law, and the Dead President: Inside Zambia\u2019s Political Earthquake"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-path-to-node=\"1\">Imagine walking into a hotel room in Lusaka, Zambia, expecting to hear a television or ambient chatter, only to hear unsettling noises coming from behind a closed door. When police officers arrive, they uncover a scene straight out of a political thriller: two men surrounded by red cloth, animal tails, jars of mysterious white powder, and a live chameleon trapped inside a glass bottle.<\/p><div class=\"03bb5c02e2f58c6bb7f372bc13011e34\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size:10px;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ZXZ -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3054782407\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br><br \/>\n<\/div>\n\n<p data-path-to-node=\"2\">These men weren&#8217;t being arrested for drug trafficking or armed robbery. They were cuffed and charged with attempting to <b data-path-to-node=\"2\" data-index-in-node=\"120\">assassinate the sitting President of Zambia using witchcraft<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\">If that sounds like a bizarre one-off headline, hold tight\u2014because at that same time, the body of Zambia\u2019s former president was lying unburied in a morgue in South Africa, triggering a bitter tug-of-war complete with accusations of black magic and high-stakes power plays.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">To understand what on earth is going on in Zambia, you have to peel back a story that connects a 111-year-old colonial rulebook, political rivalries, massive foreign debt, and a deeply rooted traditional belief system. Here is how ancient spirits and modern politics collided in Southern Africa.<\/p>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"6\">Part I: How Do You &#8220;Un-alive&#8221; a President with a Chameleon?<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7\">On December 20, 2024, hotel staff in Lusaka called law enforcement after hearing strange sounds from a guest room. Officers raided the room and apprehended 43-year-old Leonard Phiri and 42-year-old Jasten Candunde.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">Along with 12 bottles of liquid concoctions, animal tails, and a live chameleon in a jar, police revealed an astounding plot: the pair had allegedly been hired for over 2 million Zambian Kwacha (roughly $80,000) by the brother of an opposition politician to carry out a supernatural hit job on President Hakainde Hichilema. In court demonstrations, it was alleged that pricking the chameleon\u2019s tail at a precise moment during a ritual was meant to end the president\u2019s life within five days.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\">In September 2025, a magistrate sentenced both men to two years in prison with hard labor. The legal mechanism used to lock them up? A <b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"135\">1914 Witchcraft Act<\/b> written under British colonial rule.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"10\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The Legal Paradox:<\/b> The 1914 law does not require prosecutors to prove that magic is real. Instead, it criminalizes <i data-path-to-node=\"10,0\" data-index-in-node=\"115\">professing<\/i> knowledge of witchcraft or pretending to exercise supernatural powers to cause fear, injury, or annoyance. It allowed colonial administrators to suppress traditional practices without officially endorsing belief in sorcery\u2014a legal leftover that remains active today.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"12\">Part II: The Ghost of the Former President<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13\">While the &#8220;chameleon trial&#8221; was dominating news feeds, another supernatural political drama was unfolding across the border.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"14\">On June 5, 2025, former Zambian President Edgar Lungu passed away in Pretoria, South Africa, at age 68 due to surgical complications. What should have been a standard state mourning period quickly spiraled into an unprecedented legal and political battle.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16\">Lungu&#8217;s widow, Esther, and his family insisted on a private burial in South Africa, claiming it was Lungu&#8217;s dying wish that President Hichilema\u2014his longtime political rival\u2014not be allowed near his body or funeral. Online rumors among opposition supporters took it even further, alleging that the government wanted the former president&#8217;s remains for occult rituals to consolidate political power.<\/p><div class=\"03bb5c02e2f58c6bb7f372bc13011e34\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size:10px;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ZXZ -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3054782407\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br><br \/>\n<\/div>\n\n<p data-path-to-node=\"17\">President Hichilema publicly addressed the nation to push back, stating clearly:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"18\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"18,0\"><i data-path-to-node=\"18,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">&#8220;Personally, I don&#8217;t believe in witchcraft. Never believed in witchcraft as a person, as a family, and as a Christian.&#8221;<\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"19\">Despite court battles ordering the return of the body, the legal tug-of-war dragged on for months, leaving a former head of state in a South African facility while rumors swirled endlessly across social media.<\/p>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"21\">Part III: The 79% Statistic and the Colonial Trap<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"22\">To many international observers, these stories sound like bizarre satire. But for everyday Zambians, the intersection of spirituality and governance hits close to home.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"23\">According to a study by the Zambia Law Development Commission, <b data-path-to-node=\"23\" data-index-in-node=\"63\">79% of Zambians believe in the existence of witchcraft<\/b>. Traditional healers, charms, and spiritual protection exist alongside deep Christian faith across rural villages and bustling urban suburbs alike.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"25\">When 8 out of 10 citizens hold traditional spiritual beliefs, accusations of sorcery become potent political weapons.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"26\">Critics argue that resurrecting a 1914 colonial law to prosecute political opponents sets a dangerous precedent. Instead of tackling economic pressures\u2014such as massive national debt and environmental disasters from copper mining\u2014the government stands accused of using colonial-era tools to stifle opposition ahead of the 2026 elections.<\/p>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"28\">The Broader Pattern Across Africa<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"29\">Zambia isn&#8217;t the only nation wrestling with colonial legislation and traditional beliefs:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"30\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"30,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"30,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Tanzania:<\/b> Continues to grapple with legacy laws that allow the deportation or detention of suspected witches.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"30,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"30,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Ghana:<\/b> Still houses &#8220;witch camps,&#8221; where elderly women fleeing mob accusations seek refuge.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"30,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"30,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Nigeria &amp; Kenya:<\/b> Retain colonial-era legal frameworks that blur the lines between protecting citizens and suppressing indigenous traditions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"31\">As young Africans take to TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) to debate these events, the core message is clear: whether you believe in magic or not, using 100-year-old colonial laws to wage modern political battles is a threat to democratic freedoms.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"32\">Zambia now stands at a pivotal crossroads. As the 2026 presidential election approaches, the country must decide whether its future will be guided by democratic reform or continue to be haunted by the legal ghosts of its colonial past.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"34\"><span data-path-to-node=\"34,0\">For a visual breakdown and video coverage on how this story initially broke, check out this report on the <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7gyQWVKNFdk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"5\">Zambia Witchcraft Plot Details<\/a>. This news broadcast outlines the initial arrest of the two men, the items seized by Lusaka police, and the official statements regarding the alleged plot against the president.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Imagine walking into a hotel room in Lusaka, Zambia, expecting to hear a television or ambient chatter, only to hear [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[182,115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deep-dives","category-zambia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5881"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5881\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5882,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5881\/revisions\/5882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}