The Zimbabwe Republic Police has refused to sanction the Job Sikhala Solidarity rally that was scheduled for 23 December 2024, says National Coordinator Free Job Sikhala Campaign Solidarity Council Obert Masaraure.
Masaraure says the police told them that their notification did not comply with the requirements of Maintenance of Peace and Order Act.
“We are going back to the drawing Board to come up with other ways of escalating the Solidarity Campaign,” he says.
Meanwhile, commenting on the matter, Democratic Party leader Wurayayi Zembe said:
DP SOLIDARITY MESSAGE AT FREE JOB SIKHALA CAMPAIGN RALLY HELD ON 23 DECEMBER 2023 AT HURUYADZO GROUND CHITUNGWIZA
Dear Compatriots
Sad greetings that one of our great luminaries fighting for democracy in Zimbabwe from our young generation Job Sikhala is not among us as we gather here today.
His painful absence is the purpose of our gathering today.
Since his unlawful arrest on 14 June 2O22 Job Sikhala has been suffering, both physically and psychologically, at Chikurubi Maximum Prison where he has been illegally detained in solitude, chained in hand and leg irons for the past 18 months.
Job Sikhala did not commit any crime in Zimbabwe.
At the time of his unlawful arrest he was and still is the lawyer representing the family of the late Moreblessing Ali, a CCCZIMBABWE member who was brutally murdered by a Zanupf member in Chitungwiza.
In addition, Job Sikhala was also the Member of Parliament for Zengeza West constituency in Chitungwiza.
Above all, Job Sikhala was at the time and still is the national Vice Chairperson of the CCCZIMBABWE PEACE MOVEMENT.
For the past 18 months Job Sikhala has been corruptly and illegally denied bail by the incompetent judiciary in Zimbabwe. His legal practice and family interests have been totally ruined.
His children’s education disrupted and destroyed.
Job Sikhala is now of poor health, after undergoing an operation while his legs were chained to his hospital bed in the operating theatre. Job Sikhala is an innocent citizen of Zimbabwe.
On the day of his arrest 14 June 2O22 DP issued a public statement appealing to government authorities for release of MP Job Sikhala but our call was ignored.
Ever since DP has been calling for the immediate release of Job Sikhala but the Zanupf government has remained intransigent.
We repeat again here now and demand for the immediate release of innocent Job Sikhala from Chikurubi Maximum Prison.
Dr. Wurayayi Zembe
DP PRESIDENT
