HARARE – The United Kingdom and European Union embassies have raised possible violations on freedom of expression and abuse of the courts in the recent prosecution and conviction of opposition politicians Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume by Zimbabwean courts.
Sikhala, a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP, was convicted and fined US$600 Wednesday for obstructing the course of justice.
The politician, who has endured over 10 months of pre-trial incarceration at Chikurubi, Zimbabwe’s maximum security prison, was charged for his strong sentiments shared in a Twitter video following the killing of party activist Moreblessing Ali in Nyatsime by a Zanu PF suspect in May last year.
Sikhala, also a lawyer, was hired by Ali’s family to handle legal matters relating to their relative’s misfortune.
Ngarivhume, who is Transform Zimbabwe leader, was also convicted and jailed for an effective three years after he used his Twitter handle to urge citizen protest against high level corruption under the Zanu PF led administration back in July 2020.
He was placed under remand prison for over a month before his release which followed a lengthy trial leading to his shock imprisonment.
The conviction of the two politicians follows that of CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere who was also found guilty for communicating falsehood when she forwarded a video image of a woman filmed tussling and accusing a uniformed police officer of accidentally striking and killing her baby with a baton stick while enforcing Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in 2021.
It later turned out the claims by the woman were not true.
The pattern of convictions on opposition politicians over alleged crimes that have also been committed by Zanu PF politicians has been met with disquiet by Western embassies which feel the Zimbabwe administration was persecuting opponents.
Reacting to the convictions, the United Kingdom in Zimbabwe said it had noted the convictions against the opposition politicians.
“The UK notes recent court rulings involving opposition politicians. The rights to freedom of assembly and expression are enshrined in #Zimbabwe’s constitution. Judicial systems play an important role in independently upholding these rights and guaranteeing due process for all,” said the embassy.
The EU embassy in Zimbabwe raised similar concerns.
“The #EU 🇪🇺 is closely monitoring the recent court rulings in #Zimbabwe 🇿🇼convicting opposition politicians.
“Zimbabwe’s constitution ensures citizens’ rights to freedom of expression & peaceful assembly. The judiciary is expected to protect these fundamental rights#HumanRights,” read a tweet from the embassy.
