Zambian authorities shut down the country’s top courts on Monday, August 24, the final day for opposition leader Brian Mundubile to file a legal challenge against the country’s disputed presidential election. A judiciary memo cited security concerns and instructed staff not to report for work, while police said security assessments were continuing. Mundubile, who placed second to President Hakainde Hichilema in the August 13 vote, had planned to petition the Constitutional Court before the deadline, which expires early on Tuesday. While opposition figures and legal experts expressed concern that the court closure could prevent Mundubile from submitting his petition, Hichilema’s party has maintained that legal avenues remain available. Meanwhile, several of Mundubile’s associates have been arrested, and he was recently invited by police for questioning over alleged national security threats, which he described as fabricated.