Sikhala exclusive – ‘I’m bitter, angry and I’ll not forgive’
iNCarCerateD vice chairman of the opposition CCC Job sikhala has dropped a bombshell, accusing the leadership of his party of“painful betrayal” and “conniving with the system to keep me here (in prison)”.
“but i will come out. wait and see what will happen when i do. Ndinotunga munhu nenyanga yeNyati (i'll gore somebody with a rhino horn). betrayal is, by its very nature, very painful; but it becomes unbearable when you are betrayed by one whom you trusted with your political career, your future and your very life. i will come out and we will face each other," said sikhala who was seething with anger as he spoke from behind a small window barricaded by thick steel bars inside Zimbabwe’s maximum security prison.
sikhala was arrested on several charges including obstruction of justice and was thrown inside Chikurubi maximum prison from where he has been applying for bail unsuccessfully. He has been in jail since June 2022. trial on some of the charges commenced a few weeks ago. Ordinarily, accused persons that have not been granted bail are detained at the remand prison until trial.
the outspoken popular Zengeza west legislator spoke in bitterness and anger about what he called "the great betrayal” by his colleagues within the high echelons of the opposition party.
He said the betrayal was revealed to him by some of the CCC inner circle during visits to him at Chikurubi.
"they connived to keep me here at all cost. apparently i'm suffering for my perceived popularity which some people feel threatened by. but honestly, you do not betray a struggle comrade in this manner, just because you are afraid of his shadow.
“my incarceration has caused untold suffering to my children, my wife, the huge league of friends in Zimbabwe and abroad and of course to myself. being locked up in these cold concrete and steel walls 24/7 for months on end is no joke.
“but it is not jail time that pains me, because that will not break me. it is the treachery and fake love that break my heart. i am bitter, i’m angry and i find it difficult to come to terms with this cruel reality of the situation before me,” sikhala said in his trademark strong voice laced with anger and laden with resolve.
sikhala appears to be in good health and he confirmed as much, but he has visibly lost considerable weight, an indication that life in Zimbabwe's notorious prison is indeed taking a toll on arguably one of Zimbabwe’s most outspoken and bravest leaders to come out of the opposition since independence.
there has been an outpouring of sympathy and solidarity with sikhala, local and international, just as there has been equal outrage from friends and political colleagues over what they call abandonment of sikhala by the party whose top leadership is accused of doing nothing to secure wiwa's release.
Party leader, Nelson Chamisa, however, says he has done everything in his power to try and get sikhala released. He has indeed made public demands for sikhala’s release and has gone to Chikurubi prison where he has sometimes been denied permission to see his lieutenant.
earlier this year, Chamisa said he had reached out to President emmerson mnangagwa over the incarceration of sikhala but to no vail.
“in terms of the human rights situation, the situation has worsened. Look at the arrest of our brother Job sikhala. it's almost a year in prison without bail; that tells you that the nation is rotten. He committed no offence, sikhala is innocent but they have already judged him guilty without any trial. it tells you how sick we are,”said Chamisa.
the party has in the past also spoken about mobilising food and other forms of assistance to the sikhala family. but an angry sikhala told The Standard on thursday that his family is suffering and the party is not concerned.
"my wife is struggling every day to put food on the table. my children are suffering, but my wife is a strong woman who has managed to stand on her two feet, with of course God's guidance and graciousness, to provide for the family. she is a devout Christian, a solid member of the reformed Church in Zimbabwe,” said the vocal politician.
He said raising school fees for his children was a big challenge. the party has not done anything to assist in this regard; he said adding that he had found support from well-wishers.
sikhala said his children would have been chucked out of school had there been no understanding from school authorities who appreciated his situation and accepted the explanation that the fees would be paid in full as soon as he was able to.
“i have several children in universities and high school. i am unable to pay their school fees from jail. the party has said and done nothing completely about this. i am facing all these challenges with the help of well-wishers. the party is doing nothing,” he said.
CCC party nonetheless insists it is concerned about sikhala’s situation and has been doing everything in its power to secure his release.
Gift Ostallos siziba, CCC deputy spokesperson said on thursday that the party was using legal and political routes to ensure that sikhala was released. He said this at a press conference on the party’s election preparedness.
“we raise concern on the continued incarceration and detention of Honourable Job sikhala. He has been imprisoned for so many days now, and we think that there has been abuse of courts to try and advance a political agenda against those who differ with the regime and of course those who represent our citizens,” siziba said.
inquiries were made to party spokesperson Fadzai mahere and siziba on the party’s intervention on the welfare of sikhala’s family following his complaints. they both requested questions in writing and these were sent to them on the same day, thursday, but none of them had responded up to the time of going to print last night.