The Anglican Church of Southern Africa is calling for prayers for Zambia and her people following the country's recent disputed election, and particularly for healing, reconciliation and unity.

"We are deeply disturbed at the detention of a number of opposition figures, including Bishop Trevor Mwamba, the retired Anglican Bishop of Botswana and a Zambian national who now leads Zambia's United National Independence Party (UNIP)," Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said.

He was referring to the detention of Bishop Mwamba In Zambia.

"We add our voices to that of the UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk, who has called on Zambian authorities to end arbitrary arrests and respect due process," said Makgoba.

He explained that other groups, including the European Union, the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the Commonwealth have also voiced concern.

At around the same time, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of assembly and of association, Gina Romero, expressed grave concern over the deteriorating democratic and human rights environment in Zambia.

She urgently called on the government in Zambia to uphold democratic integrity, safeguard civic space, and immediately cease the criminalisation of political dissent.

Makgob said that Bishop Mwamba is a widely respected theologian across the world-wide Anglican Communion.

Among those who have expressed concern at his arrest is his wife, Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, formerly a Botswana diplomat and a Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General from 2008 to 2014.

She raised the alarm after Bishop Mwamba disappeared without explanation for a number of days, before it was revealed he was being detained at a Lusaka police station.

"We pray for all those opposition figures held in various police stations in Lusaka. We strongly appeal to the Zambian authorities to allow them access to decent sanitation, reading material and other human necessities," said the South African Anglican leader.

We pray for dialogue among all parties and that the democratically-expressed wishes of the people of Zambia will be respected in united nation.