Kambwili re-arrested Days before expected release

Kambwili re-arrested days before expected release

Former Roan Member of Parliament and Patriotic Front (PF) member, Chishimba Kambwili, has been arrested once again—this time by Zambia’s Department of Immigration—while still serving a prison sentence at Lusaka Central Correctional Facility. The arrest comes barely days before his anticipated release on October 25, 2025, deepening the legal troubles of one of the country’s most outspoken opposition figures.

Kambwili’s lawyer, Kennedy Mambwe, confirmed the development in an interview with the media, revealing that immigration officials formally served the arrest warrant inside the correctional facility, in coordination with senior prison authorities. The new charge, according to Mr. Mambwe, concerns Kambwili’s alleged failure to present himself before an immigration officer when leaving Zambia for medical treatment in 2024.

Sources indicate that the former minister’s arrest unfolded in a controlled environment within the prison grounds, where immigration officers were escorted by correctional officers to carry out the formal process. “They came with the necessary documentation, read out the charge, and placed him under immigration custody,” a source familiar with the situation said.

The alleged offence dates back to early 2024, when Kambwili was granted permission by the government to travel abroad for medical care. He was initially expected to be evacuated to South Africa but instead proceeded to neighbouring Zimbabwe. On January 30, 2024, an unidentified Zimbabwean national is reported to have presented Kambwili’s passport at the Chirundu border post in an apparent attempt to clear him out of Zambia. Immigration officers grew suspicious and demanded that the passport holder appear in person. When the man could not produce him, he fled, leaving the document behind.

Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu later told journalists that Kambwili had contravened Section 16(1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010, which requires all individuals exiting the country to appear before an immigration officer for clearance. The violation, he said, amounted to a serious breach of national immigration laws.

Shortly after, Zimbabwean authorities detained Kambwili for illegal entry before deporting him back to Zambia in February 2024. Though the issue appeared to have faded from public attention, the Immigration Department has now revived the matter choosing to act only days before his scheduled release.

Kambwili, a former Information and Broadcasting Minister, was serving a five-month sentence for making tribal remarks, a conviction that was upheld by the High Court in July 2025. He began serving the sentence mid-year and was due for release this week. Throughout his incarceration, his lawyer repeatedly complained about the deteriorating state of his health, saying he required constant monitoring due to hypertension.

His family had made preparations to receive him home this weekend, believing his time behind bars was ending. But with this sudden re-arrest, that hope has been replaced with uncertainty and frustration. Mr. Mambwe described the latest charge as “unfortunate and unnecessary,” adding that it raises questions about whether the government intends to keep his client in prolonged custody.

“Dr. Kambwili has cooperated with every legal process, yet it seems new hurdles keep emerging whenever freedom is within reach,” he said.

The new immigration charge means that Kambwili will remain detained unless bond is granted. Legal experts note that even if bond is secured, the process may take several days further delaying his release. The timing of the arrest has prompted murmurs of political vindictiveness, with some observers viewing it as a deliberate act to extend his confinement.

Kambwili’s political career has long been marked by controversy and defiance. Once a senior figure in the PF administration, he later became one of its most vocal critics and an unapologetic political firebrand. His imprisonment earlier this year already drew sympathy from supporters who saw his punishment as excessive.

Now, his latest arrest adds another layer of personal ordeal. What was expected to be a moment of relief for his family and supporters has turned into renewed anguish. Unless bond is granted swiftly, the former lawmaker may spend even more time behind bars caught between the close of one sentence and the opening of another legal battle.

As of press time, officials from the Department of Immigration have declined to comment further on the matter, saying investigations are ongoing. Kambwili remains detained at Lusaka Central Correctional Facility under immigration hold, awaiting further instruction from the courts.