Speaking to reporters soon after being denied entry to
Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison where the politicians are being held, Chamisa
said: “When a government is at the core and at the forefront of abusing
citizens, it’s a difficult thing. In other countries, terrorism is done by
sections of society. In our country, terrorism is actually instigated by
government. We have issues in the country, and human rights abuses are rampant.
Our colleagues have spent over 120 days in prison with no trial. Pre-trial
incarceration; detention without trial is a serious international human rights
violation. Sikhala, Sithole and all the Nyatsime heroes are not criminals. They
have not committed any offence. They are political prisoners and it’s on
account of the toxic politics in this country.”
Chamisa claimed that Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi had
ordered prison officers to deny him access to his imprisoned colleagues.
Chamisa was made to wait for more than three hours outside
the gates. He later met the prison officer-in-charge who turned him away.
This is despite Chamisa having written to prison
authorities demanding that he be allowed to visit the incarcerated CCC members.
He was granted permission after threatening legal action against prison
authorities.
After he was denied entry yesterday, Chamisa told
journalists: “We had been made to wait for three hours and after being cleared
to enter the prison, we only went to the officer-in-charge’s office who told us
the Minister of Justice had banned us from visiting our colleagues.”
“I have listened to people who say, no, you are being soft,
but we know what we are dealing with — and these guys are determined to go full
length to be very oppressive. We are equally determined, and I can tell you
that the citizens are totally determined. We are very clear about the change we
want.”
Last week, MDC-Alliance leader Douglas Mwonzora was cleared
to visit Sikhala.
Chamisa said he would challenge the restriction.
“It is an embarrassment, a harassment and unacceptable that
we have this kind of abuse of the law. Apart from just being an ordinary
citizen, I am also a practising lawyer and I have every right to see any client
if need be. It is very unfortunate and we will fight this.”
Efforts to get a comment from Ziyambi were fruitless.
Sikhala, Sithole and the other party members were arrested
on charges of inciting public violence following violent clashes that erupted
between CCC and Zanu PF supporters during the funeral of murdered opposition
member Moreblessing Ali in Nyatsime in June this year. Newsday
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