Nkombo charged with assault after Mazabuka nominations

LUSAKA — Garry Nkombo, the independent Mazabuka Central candidate, is charged with two counts of assault after an altercation during United Party for National Development nominations, police said.

The case puts election-period violence at the centre of one of Southern Province's most closely watched seats, weeks into campaigning for Zambia's 13 August 2026 general election.

Southern Province Police Commanding Officer Moono Namalongo said Garry Nkombo was arrested and charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The charge follows an altercation during United Party for National Development nominations in Mazabuka. Two reports of assault were filed at Mazabuka police, and one complainant reported being injured. Under Zambian law, a charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt, and Garry Nkombo is presumed innocent unless a court rules otherwise.

Garry Nkombo appeared before a magistrate and was released on police bond on Monday. The former Local Government and Rural Development Minister is contesting Mazabuka Central as an independent candidate, having previously held the seat for the United Party for National Development. Garry Nkombo said the legal challenges have changed how the veteran politician views a future in elective office.

The episode arrives against a wider concern about violence around the ballot. Campaigners have argued that intimidation and assault during the political season deter participation, an argument set out in coverage of how political violence keeps women out of Zambian elections. The contrast is sharp with districts where the process has stayed orderly, as seen in reporting on the Electoral Commission of Zambia commending peaceful nominations in Muchinga.

Mazabuka Central is a Southern Province stronghold with a long United Party for National Development history, which sharpens the stakes of an independent run by a figure as established as Garry Nkombo. The Mazabuka contest now sits inside the formal 13 August campaign timetable the commission has published, and forms part of Kwacha News's continuing politics coverage.

Background

Zambia's electoral code of conduct, administered by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, bars violence, intimidation and the carrying of offensive weapons during campaigning, and it binds candidates, parties and their supporters alike. Breaches can draw both police action and electoral sanction, which is why an assault charge against a sitting candidate carries weight beyond the courtroom.

Nominations are the formal stage at which aspirants file to contest a seat, and the period is a recognised flashpoint as rival camps converge on the same venues. Southern Province, where Mazabuka sits, has historically returned the United Party for National Development by wide margins, so an independent challenge by a former party MP marks an unusual realignment in a tense season. The province has also been one of the more keenly contested electoral maps in recent cycles.

What to watch

The next court date will set the pace of the matter, and any plea will shape whether the case runs through the campaign or beyond polling day. The police bond keeps Garry Nkombo free to campaign for now, but a candidate fighting a criminal charge while seeking office is a live test of how the electoral code of conduct and the courts interact during the run-up to 13 August.

Two further signals merit attention. The first is whether the Electoral Commission of Zambia treats the matter as a code-of-conduct question alongside the criminal process. The second is how rival camps in Mazabuka respond, since a flashpoint at nominations can set the tone for the rest of the campaign in the district.

Garry Nkombo was arrested and charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an altercation during party nominations in Mazabuka, and was released on police bond after a court appearance.

— Moono Namalongo, Southern Province Police Commanding Officer, <a href="https://www.zambiapolice.gov.zm/">Zambia Police Service</a>

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers have asked since the charge surfaced. Short answers follow, drawn from the Zambia Police Service statement, the court record and the Electoral Commission of Zambia code of conduct.

Who is Garry Nkombo?

In short, Garry Nkombo is a Zambian politician and former Local Government and Rural Development Minister who long held the Mazabuka Central seat for the United Party for National Development. The veteran legislator is now standing as an independent for the same seat. According to the candidate, the legal challenges have changed how the future looks.

What is Garry Nkombo charged with?

The answer is two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. According to Southern Province Police Commanding Officer Moono Namalongo, the arrest and charge followed an altercation during United Party for National Development nominations. The court record shows release on police bond after an appearance before a magistrate.

What is the electoral code of conduct?

Simply put, the electoral code of conduct is the rulebook the Electoral Commission of Zambia enforces during an election, and evidence from the commission shows it prohibits violence, intimidation and offensive weapons. The key is that it binds candidates, parties and supporters, so an assault allegation during nominations touches both criminal law and electoral rules.

How does an assault charge affect a campaign?

In other words, a charge is not a conviction, and the presumption of innocence holds, so a police bond leaves a candidate free to campaign. Analysis of past cycles reveals that a pending case can still shadow a contest, drawing scrutiny and complicating a candidate's message as polling day nears.

Why is the Mazabuka Central seat significant?

The answer is history and margin. Data from past results shows Southern Province has returned the United Party for National Development by wide margins, and Mazabuka Central has been a party seat. An independent run by a former party MP is the kind of realignment that makes the contest a marker for the wider 13 August vote.

Sources

Zambia Police Service: statement from Southern Province on the arrest and charge. Electoral Commission of Zambia: electoral code of conduct and 2026 election information.