The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has demanded the immediate release of detained opposition leaders, Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume, along with others, as a precondition for conducting fresh elections. The party has rejected the results of the recent harmonised elections held on August 23-24, 2023, which declared ZANU PF as the winner of the majority of National Assembly seats and President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the winner of the presidential election, defeating CCC candidate Nelson Chamisa.
The CCC party argues that the elections were marred by significant flaws, rendering the outcome illegitimate. They propose conducting new elections under the supervision of an impartial electoral body, different from the allegedly biased Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). Alternatively, they suggest that the elections be overseen by regional organisations such as SADC, the African Union (AU), or the United Nations (UN).
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi emphasised the need for the unconditional release of all political prisoners. The party asserts that their detention is unjust and undermines the fairness and credibility of the electoral process. He said:
As a precondition to #FreshElectionsZW, we demand the immediate & unconditional release of all political prisoners ie Job Sikala, Jacob Ngarivhume & many others languishing in Mnangagwa’s political prisons.
Sikhala, an opposition political party leader, was arrested in June last year and charged with inciting violence during the funeral wake of Moreblessing Ali, a CCC activist. Currently detained at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, Sikhala is undergoing trial at Harare Magistrates Court on charges of incitement to commit public violence and disorderly conduct. Prosecutors allege that he recorded and circulated a video urging people to engage in acts of violence seeking revenge for Ali’s death. He is also accused of supplying vehicles that transported party supporters who reportedly attacked ruling party supporters, damaged property, and looted. Sikhala’s trial continues, and he has appealed against his conviction and sentence. He is also on trial for disorderly conduct alongside Councillor Lovemore Maiko.
Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) leader Jacob Ngarivhume was on Thursday, 27 April 2023 convicted of incitement to public violence and sentenced to four years in jail for a tweet he posted in July 2020. In the tweet, Ngarivhume called for a national shutdown to protest against poor leadership by the ZANU PF-led government.
Incitement to public violence refers to urging or advocating for violence against others. This offence can lead to a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. However, the Zimbabwean government has faced criticism for allegedly misusing this charge to suppress dissent and opposition. Political activists, journalists, and individuals critical of the ruling party or its policies have been arrested and charged with incitement to public violence. These actions have raised concerns about freedom of speech and the stifling of opposition voices.
Source Pindula
