Access to the Zambian courts has been prevented as the deadline for an election petition looms, according to reports.

Preparations for President Hakainde Hichilema's second inauguration appear to be continuing, despite the ongoing legal challenge to his re-election.

It is unclear what the impact of the court access restrictions will be on the petition, which was filed by the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) leader, Brian Hapunda.

The UPND has alleged that the election was marred by irregularities, including the use of electronic voting machines.

President Hichilema was declared the winner of the election with 59.2% of the vote, while his main challenger, Anderson Mazoka, secured 20.5%.

According to the BBC, the court access restrictions are a significant development in the ongoing legal challenge to President Hichilema's re-election.

Source: BBC News