By Staff Reporter
The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), led by Nelson Chamisa, has denied claims that it has abandoned Job Sikhala, the Zengeza West MP who has been incarcerated at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison for 303 days.
CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere dismissed the suggestion that the party had turned its back on its vice-chairman as propaganda.
“The suggestion that the citizens have abandoned Honourable Sikhala is obviously propaganda. Nothing could be far from the truth. Sikhala is a citizen just like all of us; he is a change champion who is at the forefront of working for the citizens in Zimbabwe. He remains one of us,” said Mahere.
Sikhala’s spokesperson, Freddy Michael Masarirevu, also confirmed that Chamisa had attempted to see Sikhala during a visit to Chikurubi, which demonstrated his support for the incarcerated lawmaker.
Masarirevu tweeted, “I was at Chikurubhi the day CCC @nelsonchamisa was made to wait for 4 hours & still denied access to see Hon @JobSikhala1 – He was patient & waited outside whilst phone calls were being made. I even left the place & he remained behind – I see effort, I see love.”
The CCC has been embroiled in controversy since CCC activist Moreblessing Ali was allegedly murdered by ZANU PF supporter Pius Jamba.
Sikhala was arrested in June 2022, following clashes at Ali’s funeral wake, for allegedly inciting public violence.
Recently, government critic Hopewell Chin’ono accused the CCC of abandoning Sikhala, which sparked a heated exchange between him and the party’s activists on social media.
