Job Sikhala Living In Fear After Mwonzora Visit
Opposition MPs Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole are now worried about their safety after prison officials at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison considered sending MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora to their cells against their expressed wishes.
This was said by the duo’s spokesman, Freddy Michael Masarirevu in a statement issued on Sunday, 16 October 2022.
Masarirevu disputed Mwonzora’s claims on Saturday he had met Sikhala, Sithole and the other 14 CCC activists from Nyatsime who have been in pre-trial detention since June on charges ranging from inciting violence to public violence.
He said prison officials tried desperately to facilitate a meeting between Mwonzora and Sikhala yet the same officials have barred CCC leader Nelson Chamisa from visiting his colleagues. Wrote Masarirevu:
Hon. Sikhala and Hon. Sithole want the public to know that on the 14th of October 2022, they were advised that Senator Douglas Mwonzora intended to visit them.
This information came through the prison security team. The two declined the request and gave the officials their reasons, which were communicated on that very same day.
On Saturday the 15th of October 2022, the same senior prison security officials came, informing them that Sen. Mwonzora had come to visit them, despite their express statement declining the request.
Hon. Sikhala and Hon. Sithole again refused and opted to remain in their cells whilst Sen. Mwonzora waited outside the gate.
Some prison officials confirmed today that Sen. Mwonzora did not even make it to the second gate. There are five gates one has to pass through to be able to see inmates.
It is very sad and unfortunate that a person as senior and learned as Sen. Mwnonzora would mislead the public into thinking that he met Hon. Sikhala and Hon. Sithole in prison.
His public statement which he issued to members of the press whom he went with to Chikurubi Maximum claiming to have met both Hon. Sikhala and Hon. Sithole is therefore incorrect and should be dismissed with uttermost contempt.
Hon. Sikhala and Hon. Sithole are very angry at some senior officials at Chikurubi for wanting to impose a visit on them.
The security officials even made a suggestion that Sen. Mwonzora be allowed to come directly to their cells and guarantee privacy, a request that was turned down.
As much as the gesture is appreciated, the Honourable MPs wonder why Sen. Mwonzora invited members of the press to come with him if the visit was genuine.
Secondly, why would he even insist on visiting them when they had made it clear that they were not comfortable meeting him?
The two are also questioning why officials allowed Sen. Mwonzora permission to visit them yet a similar request was denied for President Nelson Chamisa.
The two are now worried and concerned about their welfare and security.
