WATCH as Job Sikhala speaks on his time in Zimbabwe’s prisons and his current and future plans. Sikhala spoke to Trevor Ncube on Monday, 19 February 2024.
In the interview, Job Sikhala denied that he was working with General Chiwenga to overthrow Mnangagwa.
Sikhala said he believes that this hardened Mnangagwa against him and this is one of the reasons why Mnangagwa kept him in jail for so long.
Key points from the interview.
1. Sikhala said he was kept in isolation in jail and the Mnangagwa regime wanted to break him by making sure he never enjoyed the company of members of the community.
2. Sikhala said he approached the courts to be allowed to read any material that he wanted to read.
3. After obtaining the order, he started reading the works of Nelson Mandela and Chris Hani.
4. This hardened him, the opposite of what the Mnangagwa regime expected to happen.
5. Sikhala said he had informers among Mnangagwa ‘s people.
6. Sikhala said he also met some people from Mnangagwa ‘s administration. They told him that they did not want him to be available during the 2023 elections as they believed that he would cause chaos in case of a rigged election
7. They also wanted to avoid having him as a backup for Chamisa.
8. Sikhala said they also wanted to create a counter intelligence program to whisper lies to both him and Chamisa.
9. Sikhala said different people took that counter intelligence differently.
10. Sikhala said planting these rumours affected his relationship with his collugues.
11. One of the rumours was that Sikhala was working with General Chiwenga and this hardened Mnangagwa.
12. Sikhala said he has never met General Chiwenga.
13. Sikhala said he last met Chiwenga in 1997, when student leaders were invited by Mugabe, who wanted to enquire on students’ grievances after university students had gone on multiple demonstrations.
14. Sikhala said some of his colleagues were spreading his rumours. He does not know who among his collugues were spreading these rumours.
15. Sikhala said he has lost everything, including his legal practice. Sikhala had to start from scratch.
16. Sikhala said his room was searched and that day he became very sick.
17. Sikhala said the petition by Ibbo Mandaza, Strive Masiyiwa and Trevor Ncube and demonstratoons by Zimbabweans in the UK made a difference in his release.
Part II will be released soon.
