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Opposition politician Job Sikhala returned to Zimbabwe on Friday after spending over four months abroad for medical treatment.
Sikhala’s trip followed a grueling 595-day pre-trial detention, during which he was accused of inciting public violence related to the murder of opposition activist Moreblessing Ali in May 2022. Sikhala was released in January of this year.
At Robert Mugabe International Airport, Sikhala was greeted warmly by family, friends, and his lawyer Arnold Tsunga. The former Zengeza West MP has faced significant health challenges during his time abroad but is now back in Zimbabwe.
Darlington Chingwena, Information Secretary for Sikhala’s new pressure group, the National Democratic Working Group, expressed confidence that Sikhala would not face further legal troubles over his outspoken criticism of Zimbabwe’s human rights record. “It would be unfair and unconstitutional,” Chingwena stated, emphasizing that Sikhala had not committed any crime.
Activist Obert Masaraure, who has been closely working with Sikhala, voiced concerns about his safety, citing threats the politician had reportedly received. Despite these concerns, Masaraure reassured that Sikhala is currently safe and affirmed that they would continue to monitor his situation closely.
Sikhala recently addressed the United Nations Geneva Summit on Human Rights and Democracy on May 15, where he denounced Zimbabwe’s worsening human rights conditions. In his speech, Sikhala detailed his own experiences of suffering during his detention under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime, highlighting broader issues of human rights abuses in the country.
