President Emmerson Mnangagwa was on Friday petitioned by prominent Zimbabweans who are demanding an end to the alleged persecution of two Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators and activists.
The petition calling for the release of lawmakers Job
Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole as well as 14 CCC activists from Nyatsime was signed by several prominent Zimbabweans.
Sikhala and Sithole have been detained since June 14
charged with inciting violence following violent skirmishes at the funeral of
slain CCC activist Moreblessing Ali.
They are charged alongside the 14 other CCC party
activists.
The courts have on several occasions turned down their bail
applications, with Sikhala being accused of being an unrepentant repeat
offender capable of inciting violence.
In the petition initiated by the Southern Africa Political
Economy Series (Sapes) Trust director Ibbo Mandaza and signed by 166 prominent
Zimbabweans locally and abroad, the petitioners said Mnangagwa must intervene.
The petition was handed over to the Office of the President
and Cabinet on Friday.
“We petition Your Excellency to bring to your
consideration, a most unusual situation obtaining in the arrest and detention
of Sikhala and Honourable Sithole, and 14 residents of Nyatsime, Chitungwiza
following the violence of 14 June 2022 in Nyatsime. Our duty to Zimbabwe
constrains us from maintaining silence,” the petition reads.
“The multiple denials of bail these two have endured,
multiple times in the magistrates court and multiple times in the High Court,
makes for an unusual and unprecedented situation.
“We cannot think of any prosecution in recent times where
one has been denied bail for such numerous times, for offences of inciting
public violence and obstruction of justice, which Honourable Sikhala is charged
with, and inciting public violence, which Honourable Godfrey Sithole is charged
with.
“Sikhala and Sithole have now spent 85 days in pre-trial
incarceration at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.”
Efforts to get a comment from Office of the President chief
secretary Misheck Sibanda were in vain as his mobile phone was not reachable.
Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba was not answering
his calls yesterday.
The opposition, human rights defenders and critics say
Sikhala, Sithole and the other 14 Nyatsime residents were facing political
persecution.
Sikhala has said he was facing inhumane treatment in
prison.
There were reports that he suffered ill health recently
over suspected food poisoning.
“While we all noted the political violence that occurred in
Nyatsime, it is curious that arrest and detention was targeted at members and
perceived supporters of the political opposition,” the petition reads.
“No one associated with any other formation was arrested.
“When the actors in the justice system appear to act in
ways wholly contrary to their sworn duty and oath to uphold and implement the
law without fear or favour, inferences of external hands in work of the
judiciary are bound to arise.
“The offences that Sikhala, Sithole and the 14 residents of
Nyatsime are facing have not had this kind of treatment visited upon anyone
charged with them in recent times.
This treatment, we are aware, was commonplace during the
times of the liberation struggle.”
Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has previously denied
allegations that the legislators are being targeted for belonging to the opposition.
Police did not arrest any Zanu PF member despite videos
showing them engaging in violent activities during Ali’s funeral. Standard
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