Zimbabweans and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the United Kingdom are planning a march to condemn the incarceration of former Member of Parliament Job Sikhala and all other political prisoners, describing their detention as a systematic, discriminatory jailing based on politically motivated grounds.
Sikhala has spent over 580 days in prison, having been arrested on June 14, 2022.
To raise continued awareness, diaspora members and CSOs are planning to march to the Zimbabwe Embassy in London this Monday.
Action Southern Africa (ACTSA) a non-governmental organisation that works with CSOs and activists across southern Africa and the UK said the march was aimed to “remind the world” that Sikhala remains in Harare’s maximum security Chikurubi prison on politically motivated charges.
“A former opposition MP and legislator, Job Sikhala was lawyer to the family of Moreblessing Ali, when he was arrested and denied bail for over 18 months on charges since quashed by a High Court,” said representatives of diaspora organisations in a joint statement declaring a protest on January 22 at Zimbabwe’s Embassy in London
Sikhala’s conviction was overturned by the Harare High Court in December last year, ruling that the lower Magistrates Court was wrong but he has not been released nor given bail for the remaining charges against him.
A decision on the validity of those residual charges is expected on January 24, 2024.
However, the diaspora community and human rights organisations have called upon the Zimbabwean authorities to immediately release Sikhala under bail conditions, as are his rights under Section 50 (1) (d) of the Zimbabwean constitution that enshrines the right of an arrested person to bail.
“Failure to release Mr Sikhala on bail undermines the rights of every Zimbabwean citizen and should not be tolerated in a democracy,” said the representatives of diaspora organisations.
One representative quoted in the joint statement added: “Any of us could be in this situation under the current regime. At least 10 people have been abducted and tortured in relation to their freedom of association in 2022 to 2023 – five of them were murdered. Every one of these people deserve justice in the face of State-led violence so we must keep protesting.”
ACTSA said Sikhala’s illegal detention prevented him from standing again for election as MP for Harare Urban in last year’s August 23, 2023 national elections.
“The UK diaspora community condemns the systematic discriminatory jailing of people based on politically motivated grounds. We call on the international community to join us in holding the Zimbabwean authorities to account by making sure of the release of Sikhala and all politically held prisoners as these detentions are unsound, unsafe and unconstitutional,” said the organisation.
Sikhala’s arrest and that of other politically held prisoners were raised in the UK House of Lords throughout 2023 and ACTSA said that scrutiny should continue.
“We ask the UK Foreign Secretary, the Commonwealth General Secretary and Commonwealth Heads of Government to take note of this call for constitutional justice by and for Zimbabweans who are oppressed and targeted by their own,” the organisation said.
