KEY POINTS
- Job Sikhala warns Mnangagwa that persecution will harden opposition resolve.
- Over 80 CCC supporters remain in detention after being arrested before the August SADC summit.
- Sikhala formed the NTWG after leaving the CCC, citing infiltration concerns.
Former Zengeza West legislator Job Sikhala has warned the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa against continued persecution of opposition activists.
Speaking during an appearance on HStv’s FreeTalk, Sikhala stressed that imprisoning political dissidents would only serve to harden their resolve against the ruling Zanu PF party.
Sikhala, who recently made international headlines after spending 595 days in pretrial detention, emphasized that those facing persecution would not be swayed to support the government.
According to a report by New Zimbabwe, he said, “The more you persecute an individual, the more that individual is hardened. There is no rehabilitation completely.”
Ongoing political repression
Sikhala’s comments come amidst growing criticism of Zanu PF’s tactics to suppress political dissent. Over 80 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters remain in remand prison after being charged with planning protests ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State Summit held in Harare this August.
These arrests underscore the ruling party’s strategy of using detentions to curb opposition.
Recently, prominent activists including Robson Chere, Namatai Kwekweza, and Samuel Gwenzi were forcibly removed from a plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. They were reportedly tortured before being presented at Harare Central Police Station on charges they dismissed as baseless.
Such incidents highlight the ongoing attempts by the ruling party to intimidate and silence its critics.
Also, Sikhala added that those who endure such experiences come out stronger, with a renewed determination to challenge the government. “Those people will be hardened to the heart, others will come out bitter,” he stated, warning that continued repression could backfire.
Transition and new beginnings
Following his release, Sikhala established the National Transitional Working Group (NTWG), an organization formed to push for political change in Zimbabwe.
His decision to create the NTWG came after he severed ties with the CCC, citing concerns of heavy infiltration within the party. CCC leader Nelson Chamisa also made a similar move weeks earlier, alleging infiltration by government elements.
Sikhala’s stance reflects the sentiment among many Zimbabweans who have grown frustrated with the ruling regime’s repressive measures. Moreover, opposition activists have repeatedly faced arrests, abductions, and disappearances, often enduring lengthy periods on remand without trial.
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa’s recent comments suggested that those arrested ahead of the August summit could now be released, further demonstrating the manipulation of judicial processes.
Sikhala concluded his statement by urging Mnangagwa’s government to reconsider its approach towards the opposition. He insisted that the current strategy of persecution would only lead to more determined resistance, rather than compliance.
